Reed shines with flawless 66 to lead at Dubai Desert Classic

Patrick Reed produced a flawless round of 66 to earn into a one-shot lead at the Dubai Desert Classic.

The American has a great track record around Emirates Golf Club, finishing as runner-up in 2023 and in the top ten last year.

Reed began the second round just four shots adrift of overnight leader Francesco Molinari, but he was soon level with the Italian after two birdies and an eagle on his front nine.

Two more birdies came at the first and third to reach nine under before parring his way home for a blemish-free 66.

He sits one clear of Englishman Andy Sullivan, who carded the joint lowest round of the week with a brilliant seven-under 65.

“The game felt good. Kind of went out there and gave myself a lot of good looks, good opportunities and only missing one green today, that definitely helps,” Reed said.

“You’re able to do that around this type of golf course, you’re able to shoot a number and I was lucky enough to see a couple putts go in early and it just went from there.

“The golf course is definitely a little bit more gettable in the morning, especially a day like today because the greens are a little bit more receptive.”

Reed, starting on the back nine, made his climb with a birdie from the fringe at the 12th and was one shot behind thanks to a 42-foot eagle putt at the 13th.

He left himself seven feet at the 17th for birdie and when he drained the putt, he was co-leader at seven under.

The 2018 Masters Tournament winner hit the front on his own following a four-foot putt at the first and he stretched his advantage to two with another birdie at the third.

Reed could not improve his score as he closed with six straight pars, with the late starters on course.

Mikael Lindberg, who has not missed a cut since the Nexo Championship in August, continued his rich vein of recent form by closing the gap on Reed to one.

The Swede birdied three of his first four holes to climb to eight under, but successive bogeys from the first set him back.

He returned to seven under with a birdie at the third, only to drop shots at the sixth and eighth to slip back.

Sullivan kickstarted his tournament with four straight birdies from the third before adding another at the ninth to reach the turn in 30.

A sixth birdie of the day propelled him to seven under, only to go bogey-birdie-bogey from the 12th to stall him momentum.

Another dropped shot at the 16th could have derailed the 38-year-old, but Sullivan birdied the 17th before a stunning second shot into the last set up a closing eagle to jump up to eight under.

Italian pair Molinari and Andrea Pavan were one shot back, while Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard birdied five holes on the back nine for a bogey-free 67 to sit in solo fifth at six under.

Race to Dubai Rankings delivered by DP World leader Jayden Schaper carded a 68 to finish at five under alongside fellow South African Hennie du Plessis, Lindberg and Finland’s Oliver Lindell and defending champion Tyrrell Hatton.

Earlier, McIlroy took a double-bogey seven in a 1-over opening round of 73 to start the tournament trailing eight shots behind clubhouse leader Molinari on Thursday.

Playing the 18th hole as the ninth of his round, McIlroy’s chip approach for his third shot pitched in front of the green and rolled back into the water.

After taking a penalty, his next approach left McIlroy six feet from the pin needing two putts.

McIlroy’s playing partner, Fleetwood, also dropped a shot on the 18th after making bogey also at the 14th and 16th. The world Nos. 2 and 3 both carded 73.

The third member of the stellar group of Ryder Cup winners, Hatton, shot a 2-under 70 to begin the defense of his Dubai title at Emirates Golf Club. Another Ryder Cup teammate, Lowry, also was on 2 under.

Molinari hit eight birdies in a 7-under 65, including four in his first five holes starting at the 10th. He later had three straight birdies through the ninth to finish his round.

Mikael Lindberg was two shots back in second place with a 5-under 67, and Joel Girrbach was alone in third place in the clubhouse on 4 under.

A group of players on 3 under included Wenyi Ding, the 21-year-old former Arizona State University student from China.