Meet Patrick Reed, the controversial Masters champion whose wife was his caddy and who hasn't talked to his family in 6 years

Mark Abadi

Apr 9, 2018, 22:55 IST

Meet Patrick Reed, the controversial Masters champion whose wife was his caddy and who hasn't talked to his family in 6 years

Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Patrick Reed and his wife, Justine Reed.

Patrick Reed won the Masters on Sunday, cementing his rise to the top of the golf world.
The victory brought attention to Reed's wife, Justine, who served as Reed's caddy for two years, and his parents, who haven't spoken to their son since 2012.
Reed hasn't commented much on his family, but the scarce details that are public give a glimpse into Reed's life.

Patrick Reed won the 2018 Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia on Sunday, holding off a late charge from a fan favorites Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler to earn himself the coveted green jacket and a place in golf's history books.

Reed, 27, has had a turbulent ride in the public spotlight, including a controversial college career and a public feud with his parents dating back to 2012. The golfer's complicated past contributed to his reputation as one of golf's biggest villains.

Now with a Masters victory on his résumé, more details about Reed's relationships are coming to light, from his wife Justine, who worked as his caddy for two years, to his parents, who still support their son on social media despite not having spoken in years.

Read on for a behind-the-scenes look at the man at the center of the golfing world.

Patrick Reed was born in 1990 into a golfing family. One of his first baby gifts was a set of plastic golf clubs.

He has an especially close relationship with his wife Justine — for two years, she worked as Patrick's caddy on the pro golf circuit.

Patrick and Justine met at Augusta State University, where Patrick led the golf team to two national championships. He transferred to Augusta State after a tumultuous year at University of Georgia.

Justine is a natural athlete and made headlines when she volunteered to be Patrick's caddie. "She's helped me so much," Patrick said. "She would get me to slow down and think things through."

Justine stepped down from caddying in 2014 when she became pregnant, but the job stayed in the family, with Justine's brother Kessler taking over.

Justine still advises Patrick before each tournament, plotting strategy hole by hole.

The couple has two children: Windsor-Wells, born in 2014, and Barrett Benjamin, born in December.

The Reeds have a fraught relationship with Patrick's family — Patrick hasn't had any contact with his parents or sister since 2012.

Patrick's mother Jeannette once said she thought the estrangement began because she and her husband Bill suggested the couple was too young to get married. They weren't invited to the couple's wedding in 2012.

In 2014, Patrick's parents and his sister Hannah went to watch Patrick at the US Open in North Carolina. Police surrounded the family at the 18th hole and were escorted off the grounds, apparently at Justine's wishes.

The couple rarely discusses the estrangement publicly, but in 2016, Justine excoriated Patrick's parents on social media for allegedly abusing him verbally and physically as a child.

Patrick's sister Hannah went on social media to refute Justine's claims. She called Patrick "a selfish, horrible stranger' and said "it is devastating seeing my parents hurt and suffer from what is being posted about them."

Amid the public drama, Reed has kept himself at a distance from others. "I don't really know him, even though we played on the Ryder Cup team together," said golfer Ryan Moore. "He keeps to himself and does his own thing."

Another golfer, Webb Simpson, said, "He's a hard worker, he always tries to handle his business, and I respect that."

While Patrick is enjoying his rapid rise to golf stardom, his family remains supportive, occasionally giving media appearances and posting congratulatory messages on social media.

His parents haven't met either of their two grandchildren.

After winning the Masters on Sunday, Reed was asked if it was bittersweet not to share the moment with his family. "I'm just out here to play golf and try to win golf tournaments," he said.

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