DOHA, Qatar – Patrick Reed’s remarkable resurgence continues, culminating in a victory at the DP World Tour’s Qatar Masters on Sunday. The win, his second on the European circuit in just three weeks, significantly strengthens his position in the Race to Dubai and all but secures a PGA Tour card for 2027.
Reed finished the tournament at 16-under par, two strokes ahead of Calum Hill. The American’s recent form has been nothing short of spectacular, having also won the Dubai Desert Classic earlier this month and finishing as runner-up at the Bahrain Championship. This impressive run of results has propelled him to the top of the Race to Dubai standings with 2,259.70 points.
“This little run I’ve had, two wins and a second, it’s awesome,” Reed said. “We couldn’t ask anything more than what we did. It’s special to come out here, especially to get two wins early on in the season, and hopefully there’s a lot more to come.”
The victory comes after a period of transition for Reed, who recently departed LIV Golf and announced his intention to regain PGA Tour status. He had initially planned to rely on a past champion exemption to return to the Tour, but his performance on the DP World Tour now appears to have rendered that unnecessary. Last season, Jordan Smith earned the 10th and final PGA Tour card through the Race to Dubai with 2,203.32 points, while Tom McKibbin secured a card in 2024 with 1,897.45 points before ultimately choosing to compete on LIV Golf.
Sunday’s final round wasn’t without its challenges for Reed. Early bogeys on the 2nd and 6th holes threatened to derail his chances, momentarily relinquishing the lead. However, he demonstrated resilience, making birdies on the 10th, 11th, and 14th holes to regain control and ultimately secure the win.
“It wasn’t looking very good there on the front nine,” Reed admitted. “To lose the lead like that and then to be able to kind of flip the switch there on the back nine obviously felt amazing. I just needed a putt to go in. I mean, I had 18 putts on the front nine; yesterday, I had 33 putts, so I felt like I was hitting the ball fine. I felt like right when we made the turn — you know, we were chasing at that point — I just decided to go for it and trust in the putter and trust in the process, and we were able to kind of get it done.”
Reed’s strong performance has also resulted in a significant improvement in his world ranking. He is now projected to re-enter the top 20 in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time since 2021. This elevated ranking also enhances his prospects of qualifying for all four major championships this season, as he already holds a lifetime exemption into the Masters Tournament.
The 35-year-old’s decision to focus on the DP World Tour for the 2026 season came after negotiations with LIV Golf regarding a new contract stalled. He is now fully committed to earning his way back onto the PGA Tour through the Race to Dubai, a path that appears increasingly attainable given his recent success.
Beyond securing a PGA Tour card, Reed has set his sights on a larger goal: becoming the first American to win the Race to Dubai since Collin Morikawa in 2021. “It’s always on your radar,” Reed stated. “Trust me, you’d rather be in the lead than hunting and chasing. It’s always been a dream of mine to be an American and come out here and win the Race to Dubai. And hey, we’re off to a fast start.”
Reed’s current form represents a significant turnaround for the 2018 Masters champion. After a period of inconsistency and controversy, he appears to have rediscovered his competitive edge, and his recent successes suggest he is poised for a strong return to the PGA Tour in 2027.
