Reed Full Of Praise For Rors But Would Dearly Welcome Denying Him An Eighth Race To Dubai Title.

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Patrick Reed may have been disappointed to bogey his final hole on the opening day of the BMW PGA Championship but the American has for a second week running put himself in position to further boost his current lead in the season long Race to Dubai title.

Reed was out off the ninth tee on the host West Course at Wentworth and had moved to four-under through 11 holes thanks to a hat-trick of birdies from his ninth to 11th holes ahead what he later said was a poor 3-wood tee shot off the par-4 eighth hole that was his 18th in taking a bogey.

The former Masters champ ended the day sharing seventh place but only two strokes adrift of the leading pair of reigning PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai and Swede Joakim Largerglen who are tied at the top on six-under on a wet and cold first day.

Five players, among them Aussie Adam Scott, share third on five under while Reed is among 11 players, and also including Open Champion Ryan Fox, at four-under.

Reed has been leading the DP World Tour Race to Dubai money list title since early in the season after capturing the prestigious Hero Dubai Desert Classic and losing out in a play-off a week later at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship.

The champion Texas golfers second place at last week’s Amgen Irish Open reminded all that Reed continues to lead the R2D and also the fact that Rory McIlroy is lying second just how close the R2D title chase is given there remains just eight events before the close to the 2026 season.

McIlroy is a overwhelming seven time R2D champion having captured the title in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2022, 2023, 2024 and last year 2025.

Reed will know that only one American has been honoured with the R2D honours and that being Collin Morikawa in 2021 so the task in not impossible and should Reed finish the season in front it will be a fitting honour for a DP World Tour Life Member who has now travelled to 18 Tour events this year.

Reed was asked his thoughts following today’s Wentworth opener.

“It would mean a lot to win the Race to Dubai”, he said.

“I’ve always prided myself as being an American that consistently comes over and shows support to this tour. But to also be able to go ahead, Race to Dubai, a win would mean a lot.

“It’s definitely in the back of my mind, but at the end of the day just go out there and take care of business each and every day. And hopefully we play late enough on Sundays coming in that we’re able to kind of cap that off at the end”.

As mentioned, it would seem at this later stage of the 2026 season it is looking McIlroy is very much in frame to capture the R2D title for fifth time in succession and an eighth ‘W’ overall.

And with this in mind, Reed spoke glowingly of his respect for the Northern Irishman.

“Any time I get to go play against Rory, it’s always fun because that means you get to play some amazing golf,” said Reed.

“With his record and just kind of his resumé that he has, he’s a champion. He’s been a champion a ton of times and he’s one of those guys that if you go up against the best, you’re going to have to take him and Scottie on.

“To have the opportunity to take him on throughout the whole rest of the year is going to be fun and looking forward to it”.

Indeed, McIlroy heads into round two of the BMW PGA just inside the top-20 at three-under having been well-placed at five-under through 10 holes but came home in a golfing ambulance having just one birdie but also three bogeys over his closing eight holes in a three-under 69.



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