A share of third place has seen Rory McIlroy dramatically close the gap on Patrick Reed for the 2026 Race to Dubai (R2D) money list title.
Heading into to the BMW PGA Championship Reed enjoyed a 840 points R2D lead over McIlroy but with Reed’s shock injury WD on Friday, McIlroy was always going to bridge the gap no matter where he finished.
And McIlroy’s four-way share of second place at Tour HQ has certainly done that.
Reed continues to boast 3,423 R2D points whereas McIlroy now has 3,115 points – a gap of now just 308 points.
McIlroy was approached post his round and asked if he was not even more excited at the thoughts of a sixth straight Race To Dubai No. 1 money-list title.
RORS CLOSES THE GAP ON INJURED REED ….
It was always going to happen once @PReedGolf was unexpectedly forced out due injury from @BMWPGA
As seven-time No. 1 @McIlroyRory has dramatically closed the #Race2Dubai money-list gap on Reed thanks to his share of at Tour HQ… pic.twitter.com/ipNbS9WFmg
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) September 20, 2026
“Yeah, I’m excited” said McIlroy. “As soon as The Open was over, really, that that was really the goal for the rest of the year, to win the Race to Dubai.
“Yeah, I would obviously love to do it. Patrick had an unfortunate week. Hopefully he’s okay, and he can play what he needs to and really make it a good battle.
“I have three events until the end of my DP World Tour season. I’m not sure what Patrick’s schedule looks like coming up, but I feel like I have enough opportunities.
And I’m going back to the golf course in India that I played for the first time last year, so I’ll know it a little bit better; and then going to Abu Dhabi and Dubai where I had a lot of success in my career.
“You know, I’ll keep working on my game over these next three weeks and hopefully have a strong end of the season, and give myself a a great chance at at that eighth one as it would be obviously amazing to match Monty’s record”.
There has been no word from the Reed camp on his injured left wrist while neither Reed nor McIlroy are contesting this coming week’s FedEx Open de France.
We do know Reed is contesting next fortnight’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship though McIlroy has elected not to contest the Scottish event.
That then leaves five events remaining – Open de Espania, DP World India, the Genesis Championship in South Korea and the closing two events in the UAE,
McIlroy is committed to the DP World India while each will be teeing-up, if Reed is injury free, in both Abu Dhabi and season curtain-closer at the Jumeirah Estate in Dubai.
