Patrick Reed has had the last laugh at the Presidents Cup with the controversial golf star's singles win crucial to the US team's historic victory.
Reed ended a week from hell at Royal Melbourne with an emphatic four and two victory over the Internationals' CT Pan, which was his first win from four matches, and gave his team the lead for the first time in the tournament.
Embroiled in a cheating scandal leading into Cup, the world No.12 was targeted by the bulging galleries after he was strongly criticised by Australian golfers Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman.
He said the best way to quieten the fans was to make birdies.
"You make birdies, you don't hear much," Reed said.
"If you come out storming the crowd's pretty quiet and I was able to do that today, kind of get going, and really silence the crowd a little bit."
Reed was forced to play the final singles session without his regular caddie Kessler Karain, who was banned by the PGA after getting into a scuffle with a heckling spectator during Saturday's play,
Reed's swing coach Kevin Kirk Gregory stepped in with the 2018 Masters champion blasting Pan off the course on the front nine.
Reed had five birdies from the first seven holes to race to a six up lead, before the Taiwan world No.76 finally got on the scoreboard.
The American said he treated Sunday's singles as a fresh start after losing three matches with partner Webb Simpson.
He wanted to "get some red" on the scoreboard, meaning a point for the Americans.
"For Webber and I to go out and to win our points today meant a lot for us," he said.
"I knew we were playing well but we weren't quite getting it done and to be able to close them both out today was great."
Reed said the week had been a "tough" experience but he tried to shut out the haters and focus on his golf.
"The biggest thing is just to continue grinding and not let the crowds or other people get in the way of what you're trying to do, and that's play golf," he said.
Australian Associated Press
