Patrick Reed achieved the first feat of his career on Sunday at the 2026 Dubai Desert Classic by running away from the field and hiding. The American won his first unofficial trophy on the DP World Tour, converting a 54-hole lead into a four-stroke victory at 14 under par.
With this win, the Masters champion moved up to 29th place in the Official World Golf Rankings and qualified to compete in all major championships this season. Reed primarily plays LIV Golf but is not yet recognized by OWGR. The latest application is still under review.
“I think the biggest thing that made this week so special was winning every tour except this one,” Reed said after defeating Andy Sullivan. “People on the internet say I have three wins, but one of them is a major and two of them are WGC events. So they’re all co-sanctioned events. It’s like sitting there without actually winning here and it’s always eating away at me.”
“And coming to a place where I had an opportunity in 2023 and missing it in a way, it was very important to come out here and play well and get that opportunity. And to close it out means a lot to me. Especially to do it here in Dubai, which I love to come to, makes it even more special.”
Reed’s win has been in the headlines for a number of reasons, as one of the most prolific grinders in the current game continues to squeeze out quality results regardless of tour. The 35-year-old traded birdies and bogeys at Nos. 10 and 11 before rounding at 1 over and maintaining that number. Righting the ship, Reed played the final seven holes at 1 under and cruised to victory.
However, after his win, Reed revealed that his contract with LIV Golf is not yet finalized until the upcoming 2026 season. LIV Golf begins its season in Riyadh in a few weeks, where the league will debut a new 72-hole format. Reed plays for Dustin Johnson’s Four Aces club, which recently acquired Thomas Detrie from the PGA Tour and also has fellow Belgian Thomas Peters on its roster.
“We are still finalizing the deal,” Reed said. “We’re not done with that yet.”
“At this point, yes (I’m a free agent),” Reid continued. “One of the things I don’t like is talking about business or anything like that while I’m playing, so I feel like the only time we really talk about it is Monday through Wednesday. So I’m here this week, and when I come Thursday, I’m just going to focus on golf and just golf.” I knew that. …The most important thing for me right now is to go out and play well this week. Obviously, we won. And hopefully we can carry that momentum into the next game.” Hopefully we can play again later on Sunday. ”
Reid said he plans to play at LIV Golf Riyadh and would be surprised if he didn’t. His short-term schedule appears to be solidifying, but his plans and where his talents will be utilized remain to be determined. When asked what possibilities he could explore, Reed mentioned finishing in the top 10 at the Race to Dubai and returning to the PGA Tour. As it stands, players who finish within this mark and have not yet qualified for the PGA Tour will earn a full-time card for next season.
“I can continue to play here and be in the top 10 and be on the PGA Tour next year,” Reed said. “Good golf just takes care of itself, right? It’s always been like that from day one. … If I don’t play LIV this year, obviously I’m going to play more on this tour so I can secure a top-10 spot and get back on the PGA Tour.”
