By: Steve DiMeglio From Golfweek

MEXICO CITY – A week that began with more biting criticism about his escapade in the sand in the Bahamas last December ended with an emphatic response from Patrick Reed.

Reed blocked out all the noise, deflected the condemnations and accusations of cheating and then stormed from behind during a tense back nine Sunday to win the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec.

En route to his second WGC title and eighth PGA Tour victory, the 2018 Masters champion shot rounds of 69-63-67-67 to finish at 18 under and one shot clear of Bryson DeChambeau. Reed scrambled for a finishing bogey after driving it into the trees and two-putted from 34 feet for the win. His 266 shots for the week included 45 one-putts.

“I felt like I had something to prove to myself coming into this week because I feel like I’ve been playing some really solid golf and just haven’t quite gotten over that hump to get the W,” said Reed, who moves to No. 8 in the world. “Coming into this week, I knew we were in a good pattern and I knew all I needed to do was continue to try to improve on my golf game, but at the same time just block out all the noise, no matter what it was.

“I feel like I’ve been able to do that really well throughout my career and growing up I’ve always been able, when I get inside the ropes around the golf course, just focus on what I need to do, and that’s play golf.”

Trailing by two with seven holes to play, Reed birdied 12, 15, 16 and 17 to grab the lead he protected on the final hole. It was the perfect reply Reed was working toward considering the ongoing chatter about his conscience and his replies to claims of cheating.

From Maui to Melbourne and a few parts in between, Reed has been roundly criticized for his incident in a waste bunker during the Hero World Challenge, where he improved his lie with two short practice swings and was penalized two strokes. Accusations of cheating soon followed.

This week Brooks Koepka said he wondered if Reed “was building sand castles” in the bunker. Former CBS broadcaster Peter Kostis said he saw multiple instances of cheating by Reed over the years. During this week’s tournament, as well as in the Presidents Cup in Australia and the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, a few hecklers voiced their opinions.

Reed, 29, has just blocked out the uproar emanating from Bunkergate by plugging in his headphones, putting his nose to the grindstone and taking care of business. Asked if he had silenced his critics, Reed shrugged his shoulders.

“Really at the end of the day, to me it doesn’t really matter,” he said. “For me, it’s go out there and continue doing what I’m supposed to do, and that’s to try to play the best golf I can, try to be the best person I can, and try to set an example for the younger kids that are out here watching as well as my kids.

“If I feel like I’m doing that, that’s all I can ask for. I feel like I’ve been doing a good job of that, and hopefully everything starts smoothing out and going the right direction.”

DeChambeau, who has added 25 pounds of muscle since the fall to get stronger and longer, birdied seven of 10 holes starting at the sixth to grab a two-shot lead but three-putted the 71st hole to fall out of the lead. He fell short with a birdie try on the last.

“The last two weeks I’ve put myself in contention to win,” he said. “I feel like the game, the driver is coming back, which is awesome. Irons are starting to get there. Mis-hit a couple iron shots coming in. I’ve just got to work on that.

Patrick Reed poses with the trophy after winning the WGC-Mexico Championship. Photo by Orlando Ramirez/USA TODAY Sports

“And unfortunately 17 happened. I hit a good shot up there, I didn’t try to do anything, it just got caught by the wind and spun off the hill and ended up having a long putt in. Unfortunately my speed was off today, and that’s the tournament right there. It was a lot of fun. (Reed) deserves it. He fought really hard and ultimately beat me.”

DeChambeau waited around to congratulate Reed.

“There’s been a lot of stuff said in past years, I guess you could say, with him, and even with me, I feel like unfortunately sometimes we get quite a bad rap,” DeChambeau said. “There are things that we’ve done that haven’t been right, but we haven’t got really gotten the best rap. We’re still trying to provide great entertainment for everyone. He’s a great player, and he’ll be a great player for a long time, and I have a lot of respect for his game.”

World No. 3 Jon Rahm fell short of his bid to become No. 1 but finished third at 15 under alongside Erik van Rooyen, who celebrated his 30th birthday earlier this week.

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy shot 68 to finish at 14 under and in fifth. It was his sixth consecutive top-5 finish on the PGA Tour, a personal best.

Overnight leader and world No. 4 Justin Thomas had a miserable final round, closing with a 73 to finish in a three-way tie for sixth with Hideki Matsuyama and Tyrrell Hatton. Thomas was the only one among the top 30 to finish the round over par.

For more on this story go to; https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2020/02/23/patrick-reed-tunes-out-critics-wins-wgc-mexico/