DUBAI – Patrick Reed kept everyone at bay and closed with an even-par 72 on Sunday for a four-shot victory in the Dubai Desert Classic, his first European tour title that moves him back into the top 30 in the world for the first time since he joined LIV Golf.
Reed also made enough money from the Rolex Series event that it should cover his European tour fines for playing in the Saudi-backed rival league, assuming he can sort out a new LIV contract.
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“Win early and that will take care of it,” Reed jokingly said Saturday on the topic of European tour fines that LIV Golf no longer pays on the players' behalf.
Reed revealed he is still negotiating a new contract to play on LIV, which starts on Feb. 4 in Saudi Arabia. The 35-year-old American, who is playing the European tour next week in Bahrain, said he fully expects to be with LIV and a contract may already have been sorted out. His focus was only on golf this week, and he took care of business.
Any drama at Emirates Golf Club didn't last long.
Reed seized control with middle rounds of 66 and 67 to build a four-shot lead over David Puig of Spain going into the last day. Reed said he found himself getting too conservative — no birdies, one bogey over the front nine — and the lead was cut in half when the Spaniard made birdie on Nos. 8 and 9.
“Instead of just keeping the foot on the gas early, I tried to protect that lead," Reed said.
He said his caddie told him it was a dogfight and Reed responded. The lead remained at two shots after Reed and Puig each started birdie-bogey on the back nine, and then it turned quickly — a birdie for Reed on the par-5 13th and a bogey for Puig.
The lead was back to four and Reed coasted from there, finishing on 14-under 274 for his 12th title worldwide — nine on the PGA Tour, one each on the European tour, Asian Tour and LIV. Reed has won two World Golf Championships and the Masters that count toward his European tour tally.
Puig, meanwhile, tumbled to a tie for seventh when he was penalized two shots when it was determined he grounded his club in a bunker on the 18th. He closed with a 75, the penalty costing him about 15 spots in the world ranking.
Andy Sullivan of England had a 71 to finish alone in second, with Julien Guerrier of France (69) another shot behind.
Rory McIlroy was never in the mix from his opening 73. He finished with another 73 to tie for 33rd, his first time to finish out of the top 30 since he missed the cut in the Canadian Open last June.
The victory was worth more than just $1.5 million (E1.3 million) to Reed. His move into the world ranking all but assures he will remain high enough to be exempt for all four majors this year.
“It's always nice to lock up the majors,” said Reed, who was not at the U.S. Open or British Open last year. “Any time you go ahead and get a win, it's special. ... To sit there and have as little amount of events that I've played to be in the top 30 is something that shows that my golf game is still where I want it to be.”
Reed has been banned from the PGA Tour since joining LIV in 2022. The U.S. tour recently offered a pathway back to LIV players provided they won a major or The Players Championship since 2022. Reed won the Masters in 2018 and would not be eligible.
He is an honorary lifetime member of the European tour with his Masters title, and he can stake his claim as perhaps the most global player in golf, willing to travel without the guarantee of big appearance money. But he faces fines when he plays LIV events held the same week as European tour events.
“I'd rather just tee it up and play,” Reed said Saturday. “And if it costs me this (or) that, whatever, I'll go play.”
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf