Mel Reid is one of those overnight success stories who found instant gratification a delayed delight. A star at an early age before life got in the way, the 33-year-old Englishwoman has rebounded brilliantly and on Thursday shot 4-under-par 67 in Round 1 of the U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club, where par is always a good day for the best of them.
With No. 9 her first hole, Reid began the opening round birdie-birdie, and when she again played consecutive holes under par at Nos. 15 and 16, she was 4 under before making her only bogey of the day on No. 18. She then closed with seven pars and a birdie to seal her 67.
“I didn't think that score was out there, honestly,” Reid said. “We had a game plan and stuck to it. If you're in trouble, just get it out, make bogey. I think the key here is to not take many risks the first two, three days, and I didn't do that.”
What she did do before the championship was pick the brain of two-time U.S. Open winner Brooks Koepka about strategy for majors. When back home at her U.S. base in Florida, Reid has been known to get into Koepka’s pocket in money games and the two have become fast friends.
“I texted Brooks on Tuesday,” Reid said. “We had a long conversation and then we FaceTimed for an hour on Tuesday night. He gave me a few things that he follows by in a major, so obviously appreciate his help. I can't tell you [what he said]. I'm just trying to be a bit more like Brooks, honestly.”
Honesty has been a big part of Reid’s turnaround.
By the age of 13, she was a top-notch junior golfer with plans to turn pro. At 18, she played for Great Britain & Ireland in the 2006 Curtis Cup and the next year won the Ladies British Open Amateur Stroke Play and was low amateur in the Women’s British Open. She was the Ladies European Tour (LET) Rookie of the Year in 2008 and posted one LET victory in 2010 and two more in 2011.
Then things fell apart. In May 2012, her mother Joy was killed in a car crash outside Munich on her way to watch Mel play. Reid won the next month in the Czech Republic, but sorrow surrounded her and eventually dragged her down. By the end of 2018, she had fallen to No. 257 in the Rolex Rankings.
But it was also at the end of 2018 that she came out as gay and began to find her way in life and in golf. She won for the first time on the LPGA Tour at the 2020 ShopRite Classic and this week came into the U.S. Women’s Open at No. 33 in the Rolex Rankings.
“I think that I was just comfortable in my life, and I think that the reason I did it, honestly, was more about inclusion,” Reid said about coming out. “It's just that I believe that golf could be a little bit better in inclusion. I've seen it firsthand the discrimination from all backgrounds, and I've also seen the positive side of including everyone.”
Reid and her fiance Carly Grenfell plan to be married in April 2022.
“I just wanted to be a voice for a lot of people that have struggled with stuff,” Reid said. “I basically wanted to say, ‘I have your back,’ and I believe that anyone from any background, any sexuality, any race should always be welcome to play golf. That's just kind of what I'm fighting for.”
The more immediate task is to fight for the U.S. Women’s Open, where her best finish in five previous starts is T-50 in 2012. There is a particular irony to her strong play at The Olympic Club since the original layout – Lakeside Golf Club – was designed by Wilfrid Reid, who Mel recently found out is a distant relative.
“Apparently, he's my great uncle,” Reid said. “I was thinking about it, and his middle name is Arthur. My dad's name is Arthur after his grand dad and he's from Nottingham, which is just down the road. It actually makes a lot of sense.”
Having a family connection to The Olympic Club is just part of what Reid loves about the golf course and the USGA setup this week.
“If you don't pay attention, this golf course can really eat you up,” Reid said. “Just need to stay focused. Whoever wins at the end of this is going to be really tired come Sunday. I love the rough personally. That's how a U.S. Open should be.”
Struggle is something with which Reid has had more than a little experience. There is little surprise that a challenging track brings out the best in her.
“Level par should be winning this thing, in my opinion, or close to level par,” Reid says. “I love how tough it is. I think it makes you think, makes you create a strategy. You can't bomb it everywhere. You've really got to think where your misses are. This is exactly how a U.S. Open should be.”
Life took a few detours for Mel Reid. On Thursday, her GPS led her into red numbers at The Olympic Club. That’s a great start at the U.S. Women’s Open.
Ron Sirak is a Massachusetts-based freelance writer who frequently contributes to USGA digital channels.
