DOHA, Qatar — Patrick Reed saved a clear card Saturday for a 2-under 70 within the Qatar Masters, a spherical that barely expanded his lead and enormously expanded his confidence as he goes for his second European tour title in three weeks.
Reed’s solely birdies have been a 20-foot putt on the second gap and a easy up-and-down on the par-5 tenth. He fell behind Joakim Lagergren on the entrance 9, however the Swede had 4 bogeys over his final 11 holes to fall again.
Reed was at 14-under 202, two pictures forward of former British Novice champion Jacob Skov Olesen of Denmark, who had a 68.
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Reed birdied solely one of many par 5s at Doha Golf Membership, a three-putt par from 95 toes on the closing gap. It was the management of his recreation, notably the irons, that left him happy.
“I felt like I hit the ball higher at this time than I did the final two days … effectively, actually in comparison with yesterday, and two pictures worse. So it is an attention-grabbing recreation,” Reed mentioned. “The golf recreation feels good, it feels stable, it feels regular and actually simply acquired to go on the market and preserve the foot on the fuel tomorrow.”
That is the 35-year-old American’s fourth straight week within the Center East, a career-changing month for the 2018 Masters champion.
Reed received the Dubai Desert Basic towards a robust area for his first European tour title, revealed he had not but renewed his cope with Saudi-funded LIV Golf after which left the league when he couldn’t agree on a brand new contract.
By way of all that, Reed misplaced in a playoff final week in Bahrain and now’s one spherical away from one other European tour title that will put him atop the Race to Dubai and transfer him into the highest 20 on the earth rating for the primary time since September 2021.
He additionally would nearly lock up a PGA Tour card for 2027 from the main 10 gamers on the European tour not already exempt. Reed could be near the factors whole that earned a PGA Tour card final 12 months, and he nonetheless has 4 majors and 5 Rolex Sequence occasions to play.
The PGA Tour has mentioned Reed may return as early as September, a 12 months after his final LIV occasion.
