Patrick Reed’s bilateral pneumonia later diagnosed as COVID-19

ATLANTA – The bilateral pneumonia that forced Patrick Reed to withdraw from The Northern Trust and miss last week’s BMW Championship was later diagnosed as COVID-19, the nine-time PGA Tour winner told Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis.

“My primary diagnosis was bilateral pneumonia,” Reed said in a text. “I was vaccinated for COVID-19 so I’m not sure if I had the delta variant but I’m just really happy to be able to be here and I’m feeling much better.”

Shortly after returning home from the first post-season event in New Jersey, Reed was admitted into Houston Methodist Hospital with what was diagnosed as bilateral pneumonia.

Full-field tee times from the BMW Championship

“It was very scary, the pneumonia had infiltrated my lower lobes of my lungs, but I feel very fortunate that I was very well taken care of,” he said.

Despite missing the first two playoff events Reed held on to the final qualifying spot (No. 30) for this week’s Tour Championship. According to a Tour official, Reed was cleared to play at East Lake under the circuit’s health and safety program, which follows CDC protocols.