It is clear that the American Patrick ReedThe 2018 Augusta Masters champion and a full member of the European Tour, he did not come to Dubai for a walk. He wants and seeks victory in him DP World Championship that would give him the first place in the Race to Dubai, thus becoming on Sunday the first American to be awarded the Order of Merit in the almost 50-year history of the circuit.
This Friday Reed, 30 years old, with two victories on the European Tour and seven on the PGA Tour, is currently 11th in the world rankings, he embroidered it with a card of 64 strokes, 8 under par, to become the lonely leader of the tournament that closes the season in the old continent with 134 strokes (-10) and two ahead of the second classified, the English Matthew Fitzpatrick, winner in 2016 in Dubai.
Reed leads the Englishmen in four strokes Tommy Fleetwood y Lee Westwood, who can win the Race if they win the World Cup in Dubai. Fleetwood is now second in the Race – he was awarded it in 2017 – and has not had the last word.
He also American Collin Morikawa, the best classified in the world ranking (7th) of those in Dubai, and also a winner of a Grand Slam (PGA Championship 2020), is 21st, eight strokes away.
Reed has been much more solid from tee to green than he was Thursday and also finer with the putter. It seems that he is motivated by the fact of being able to join the club of European number one that, among others, form Ballesteros, Langer, Norman, Faldo, Woosnam, Montgomerie, Els, McIlroy and Rahm, among others. In 2018 he already finished second in the ranking.
The leader takes five shots in the absence of 36 holes to the Spanish Adri Arnaus, fantastic on this second day with 68 strokes for 139 occupying the ninth place shared.
Reed signed a card with 9 birdies (six in the first 10 holes, climbing into first place well into the lap) and one bogey. Fleetwood scored 69 shots with 6 birdies and 3 bogeys while the Catalan Arnaus closed a good round with a spectacular eagle-3 in the 18th, making a putt that did not reach 5 meters. The only eagle that has been achieved in this second round, not only on this hole, but throughout the entire course.
It should also be noted in terms of the Spanish performance the ‘paddling’ of Adrián Otaegui, 66 strokes for 141, -3 and top 15.
Classification 2ª day (par 72)
134 Patrick Reed (USA) 70 64
136 Matthew Fitzpatrick (GB) 68 68
137 Laurie Canter (GBR) 71 66
Tyrrell Hatton (GBR) 69 68
138 Branden Grace (SAF) 72 66
Lee Westwood (GBR) 70 68
Tommy Fletwood (GBR) 69 69
Sami Valimaki (Finn) 69 69
139 Adri Arnaus (Esp) 71 68
…
141 Adrián Otaegui (Esp / 14º) 75 66
142 Collin Morikawa (USA / 21º) 72 70
146 Jorge Campillo (Esp / 40º) 72 74
147 Pablo Larrazábal (Esp / 48º) 73 74
