Meet Patrick Reed, the controversial Masters champion whose wife was his caddy and who hasn't talked to his family in 6 years

The victory brought attention to Reed's wife, Justine, who was his caddy for two years, and his parents, who haven't spoken to their son since 2012.
Reed hasn't commented much on his family, but the scarce details that are public give a glimpse into Reed's life.

Patrick Reed won the 2018 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, on Sunday, holding off a late charge from a fan favorites Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler to earn himself the coveted green jacket and a place in golf's history books.

Reed, 27, has had a turbulent ride in the spotlight, including a controversial college career and a public feud with his parents dating back to 2012. The golfer's complicated past contributed to his reputation as one of the sport's biggest villains.

Now with a Masters victory on Reed's résumé, more details about his relationships are coming to light — including with his wife, Justine Reed, who worked as his caddy for two years, and with his parents, who still support their son on social media despite not having spoken in years.

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the man at the center of the golfing world.

Patrick Reed was born in 1990 into a golfing family. One of his first gifts was a set of plastic golf clubs.

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He's especially close with his wife, Justine Reed — for two years, she worked as his caddy on the pro golf circuit.

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Patrick and Justine met at Augusta State University, where Patrick led the golf team to two national championships. He transferred to Augusta State after a tumultuous year at the University of Georgia.

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Justine is an athlete and made headlines when she volunteered to be Patrick's caddie. "She's helped me so much," Patrick said, adding, "She would get me to slow down and think things through."

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Justine stepped down from caddying in 2014 when she became pregnant, but the job stayed in the family, as her brother Kessler Karain took over.

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Justine still advises Patrick before each tournament, plotting strategy hole by hole.

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The couple has two children: Windsor-Wells, born in 2014, and Barrett Benjamin, born in December.

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Patrick has a fraught relationship with his family — he hasn't had any contact with his parents or sister since 2012.

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Patrick's mother, Jeannette Reed, once said she thought the estrangement began because she and her husband, Bill Reed, suggested that Patrick and Justine were too young to marry. They weren't invited to the couple's wedding in 2012.

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In 2014, Patrick's parents and his sister Hannah went to watch him at the US Open in North Carolina. Police surrounded the family at the 18th hole and were escorted off the grounds, apparently at Justine's wishes.

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Patrick and Justine rarely discuss the estrangement publicly, but in 2016, Justine excoriated Patrick's parents on social media, accusing them of abusing him verbally and physically as a child.

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Hannah pushed back on Justine's claims on social media, calling Patrick "a selfish, horrible stranger" and saying it was "devastating seeing my parents hurt and suffer from what is being posted about them."

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Amid the public drama, Patrick has kept himself at a distance from others. "I don't really know him, even though we played on the Ryder Cup team together," said Ryan Moore, another golfer. "He keeps to himself and does his own thing."

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The golfer Webb Simpson said: "He's a hard worker. He always tries to handle his business, and I respect that."

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While Patrick is enjoying his rapid rise to golf stardom, his family remains supportive, occasionally talking with news outlets and posting congratulatory messages on social media.

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His parents haven't met either of their two grandchildren.

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After winning the Masters on Sunday, Reed was asked whether it was bittersweet that he wasn't sharing the moment with his family. "I'm just out here to play golf and try to win golf tournaments," he said.

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