LIV Golf’s Patrick Reed takes 36-hole lead in Dubai Desert Classic
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — On a mixed day for prominent LIV golfers at the European tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, Patrick Reed took the lead while Dustin Johnson failed to make the cut on Friday. In between them were Rory McIlroy, a four-time champion, and Tommy Fleetwood, two of the tournament’s top players, both…
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — On a mixed day for prominent LIV golfers at the European tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, Patrick Reed took the lead while Dustin Johnson failed to make the cut on Friday.
In between them were Rory McIlroy, a four-time champion, and Tommy Fleetwood, two of the tournament’s top players, both of whom will need a strong performance over the weekend to contend for the title.
Reed, a former Masters champion, played a clean round of 6-under 66, gaining a one-stroke advantage after two rounds at Emirates Golf Club; he has previously finished second and tenth in his past appearances at the event.
Reed is at 9-under 135 for the tournament, achieving four birdies and an eagle from 40 feet on the par-5 13th hole.
Andy Sullivan posted the best score of the day with a 65, finishing strong with a birdie-eagle combination, putting him in second place.
Dustin Johnson, a former world number one, was notably the highest-profile golfer to miss the cut after posting consecutive scores of 74. Since joining the LIV circuit in 2022, along with Reed, he has fallen to No. 639 in the world rankings.
Tommy Fleetwood, currently ranked No. 3, barely made the cut with a 72, putting him 10 shots behind the leader, while second-ranked McIlroy salvaged his round with a birdie on the par-5 18th for a score of 69 after a challenging 72 in the first round. He has seven shots to catch up to Reed, with whom he has had notable competitive moments in the past, including a memorable singles match at the Ryder Cup in 2016 and the final round of last year’s Dubai Desert Classic.
“It was better than yesterday, giving me at least a chance going into the weekend,” McIlroy said after playing in the afternoon when conditions became more difficult.
Tyrrell Hatton, the defending champion and another LIV player, shot a 69 to secure sixth place, four strokes behind the leader, highlighting his day with an eagle at the short par-4 No. 17.
