Patrick Reed has worn red on Sundays as a tribute to Tiger Woods for years.
Since he was a junior, he’s emulated Woods’ iconic red-and-black look but, on Sunday, as he chases a maiden major title at Augusta, he won’t be turning out in his trademark outfit.
Nike, Reed’s sponsor, has him scripted to wear a pink ensemble, while Woods will, presumably, don his signature red shirt, black trousers combination.
“Nike [is] doing a new thing where all the players stay in the same kind of storyline,” Reed said on Friday. “So all the players will either be in this color or that gray, grayish black today and yesterday and then all of us will be in the same color tomorrow and Saturday and Sunday.”
Reed has worn red on Sunday for all five of his PGA Tour victories. It’s a bloody shirt, you’re probably thinking. It couldn’t possibly matter.
Well, it does.
Elite golfers are massively superstitious about the meticulous details, from their golf balls, to what they’re wearing, to their pre-round routine. Being refused the option of wearing red is something of a disruption for Reed, who would have surely been relishing the prospect of turning up at the first tee ready for battle in red.
Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy may be "rivals" on the course Sunday at #TheMasters.
But they will also be "teammates."
Both will wear Nike polos in the same color, hyper magenta. (Reed's polo on left, Rory's on right) pic.twitter.com/6n4LKulrbz
— Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) April 8, 2018
It’s minor, yes, but Rory McIlroy will certainly take it. Incidentally, the Northern Irishman is also a Nike athlete and will wear pink on Sunday.
Reed and Rory – pretty in pink?
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