Patrick Reed Reveals Bilateral Pneumonia Could Have Killed Him

"It hit me like a brick," admitted Reed, who returned to action at the Tour Championship

Patrick Reed admitted he was left “in a dark space” after being diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia that had him fighting for his life in a Texas hospital.

The 31-year-old former Masters champion is still on the mend but recovered sufficiently to feature at the FedEx Cup finale, having done enough throughout the season to book one of 30 places in the $15 million Tour Championship shoot-out.

And at the conclusion of his first round, in which he posted a respectable two-over 72, the World No. 19 was asked if he ever feared the outcome could be fatal.

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “First couple days they were sitting there telling me that make sure you text your family quite a bit, talk to your family, because you just don't know. I mean, this is not good. We're not in a good spot right now.

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“It hit me like a brick. I mean, just all of a sudden I went from feeling okay to literally feeling like I couldn't breathe and was almost drowning in air and it was, it hit me so fast and it was so brutal.

“With how the hospitals are these days because of COVID and everything that's going on, it doesn't matter what's going on. They won't allow people in there, so it's only you in there. 

“So I'm sitting there and those first two days the only thing that was going through my mind is, I'm not going to be able to tell my kids goodbye. I'm not going to be able to tell them I love them. I'm not going to be able to tell my wife that I love her and give her a hug.

“It definitely puts you in a dark space when you're in there. And to think that I'm able to be here and play and really feel like today, I really felt okay.

"I mean, it's a little frustrating not having the speed, not being able to hit the shots and really feel certain things quite yet, but I took a ton of time off. I mean, I was battling for my life."

After the ordeal, Reed also admitted he would not have teed it up this week was it not a Ryder Cup year, but with Steve Stricker in attendance and set to name his six wildcard picks come Sunday, 'Captain America' was eager to make one final bid for a spot on Team USA. 

“I saw him yesterday,” he added. “He came out to me when I was on 9 and I hit a hybrid into eight feet and I made the putt for him. 

“Honestly, the biggest thing is, talking with Stricks and stuff, is just making sure I'm healthy and I think the biggest thing for me this week is just to see kind of where I'm at. 

“And I know by Ryder Cup my game's going to be where it needs to be, as long as I feel like my health is where it needs to be and as long as I feel like I can sustain through rounds of golf."