GOLF – PATRICK Reed stormed into a four-shot lead yesterday heading into today’s final round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic following a brilliant 67 on Moving Day.
The American held a narrow overnight advantage at nine-under but was quickly challenged by Francesco Molinari on the front nine. Molinari, who led after 18 holes, opened with three straight birdies to reach double figures before Reed hit back with three birdies and two bogeys in his first seven holes to join him at 10-under.
Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, then finished his front nine with a birdie to edge ahead and did not look back, picking up three further shots to climb to 14-under at Emirates Golf Club as he pursues a maiden Rolex Series victory.
“It was definitely solid and a good score at the end,” Reed, who will be competing in next weekend’s 2026 Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship in the kingdom, said of yesterday’s round. “Early in the round, just didn’t really settle out.
“I think the biggest thing right now is the driving. I feel like I’m driving the ball a little better right now. You know, early this week, just seeing a couple of putts go in after last year, I felt like it was one of those kinds of half of the seasons where I felt like I was doing a lot of things really well. I was hitting a lot of putts and the balls weren’t going in. There were a lot of burned edges.
“Once I saw it go in this week, seems like the putter is back behaving doing what it’s supposed to, and allows me to free the rest up, the rest of my golf game.”
Spaniard David Puig surged into solo second following a birdie-birdie finish in a stunning 66 to reach 10-under, with 2022 champion Viktor Hovland one shot further behind alongside Englishman Andy Sullivan, who bounced back from bogeys at the eighth and ninth with three birdies on the back nine.
“You’re always excited showing up on Sunday with a lead,” Reed added. “I feel like that’s what all of us live for as players, competitors – to have a chance to win on Sundays and play late on Sundays and just battle out with all the guys.
“I know it’s not going to be easy, it never is, and it doesn’t matter how big of a lead you have.
“Looking forward to tomorrow and just hopefully go out there and keep doing what I’m doing, putting well and hitting fairways and greens.”
Puig commented: “Tried to attack a little bit. We were a little behind, and seeing Reed and all the guys that are up there are really good players, so I know I needed a good one.
“Still a little behind but it’s going really well. But hopefully, you know, tomorrow we have a good chance.”
Italian pair Molinari and Andrea Pavan were in a share of fifth at eight-under, while Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and Spaniard Jorge Campillo sat at seven-under.
Nicolai Hojgaard led the group at six-under alongside South African trio Jayden Schaper, Hennie du Plessis, and amateur Christiaan Maas, as well as French pair Julien Guerrier and Martin Couvra.
Following the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the DP World Tour’s International Swing makes its way to the kingdom for the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, taking place Thursday to next Sunday at Royal Golf Club.
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