Patrick Reed fired a seven-under-par 65 to share the lead after the first round of the Qatar Masters on Thursday. The American, who recently left LIV Golf, tied New Zealand's Daniel Hillier atop the leaderboard at Doha Golf Club. Reed's performance boosts his chances of securing a PGA Tour card for 2027 via the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai.
Patrick Reed continued his impressive form on the DP World Tour with a bogey-free start to the Qatar Masters, carding nine birdies against two bogeys for a seven-under 65. He made six birdies in his opening eight holes, showcasing strong ball-striking on the windy Doha Golf Club layout. Tied for the lead with New Zealand's Daniel Hillier, who notched an eagle at the par-five ninth, Reed sits one stroke ahead of Sweden's Marcus Kinhult, Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen, and Finland's Oliver Lindell, all at six under. Australian David Micheluzzi added excitement with a hole-in-one at the 204-yard par-three third hole. Reed reflected on his round, saying, 'I hit the ball pretty well, especially early in the round, a lot of my birdies were just kind of kick-ins which is always nice.' He added, 'The golf course, especially when it’s windy like this, it requires a lot of shot-making – you have to work the ball both ways, or flight things down, or take it up in the air. That’s the kind of golf I like.' This marks Reed's third strong showing in the Middle East swing: he won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic last month and lost in a playoff at the Bahrain Championship last week. Currently second in the Race to Dubai standings with 1,674 points, a victory here would award 585 points, likely securing one of the top-10 spots for non-exempt players that grants a PGA Tour card for 2027. Reed, who departed LIV Golf after failing to extend his contract, plans a full DP World Tour schedule this year and can return to PGA Tour events as a past champion starting August 2027, with an earlier appearance possible at the co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open in July. Ireland's Padraig Harrington opened with a 71, marking his 500th DP World Tour start.
