Patrick Reed delivered an impressive performance at the Dubai Desert Classic, shooting a flawless round of 66 to take the lead by one shot. This marks a continuation of his strong history at the Emirates Golf Club, where he was the runner-up in 2023 and finished in the top ten in the previous year.
Starting the second round four shots behind Francesco Molinari, Reed quickly caught up to him with two birdies and an eagle on his front nine. He then added two more birdies early in the back nine, reaching a total of nine under par before finishing the round with a series of pars, ensuring there were no blemishes on his scorecard.
Reed sits one stroke ahead of England’s Andy Sullivan, who matched the lowest round of the tournament with a remarkable seven-under 65. Sullivan had a strong start, making four consecutive birdies from the third hole and turning in a score of 30. Although he encountered some setbacks with bogeys after the 12th hole, he bounced back with a birdie on the 17th and an eagle on the final hole, bringing him to eight under par.
Mikael Lindberg, who has consistently performed well since August, remains close to Reed by closing the gap to just one stroke. He started strongly with three birdies in his first four holes but struggled with bogeys on the front nine, ultimately finishing at seven under.
Several other players are in contention, including Italians Francesco Molinari and Andrea Pavan, who trail Reed by one shot. Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard also made a push with five birdies on the back nine for a bogey-free round of 67, placing him solo in fifth at six under.
At the same time, Race to Dubai Rankings leader Jayden Schaper finished the day with a 68, bringing him to five under along with fellow South African Hennie du Plessis, Lindberg, Finland’s Oliver Lindell, and defending champion Tyrrell Hatton.
World number two Rory McIlroy, who is vying for his fifth Dubai Desert Classic title, is currently seven shots off the lead at two under par. He managed a birdie on the 18th hole, finishing with a 68, which was five strokes better than his opening round. McIlroy remains optimistic, indicating that a good performance in the next round could put him back in contention for the title.