Reed closes it out in Dubai to finally claim Desert Classic

Patrick Reed never lost control when it mattered. An even-par 72 on Sunday was enough to seal a long-awaited victory at the 2026 Hero Dubai Desert Classic, as the American finished 14-under to win by four shots at Emirates Golf Club.

Reed began the final round with a four-shot cushion and ended it the same way. There were brief flickers of pressure when Spain’s David Puig trimmed the margin to two, but Reed’s composure never wavered. Puig’s challenge unravelled on the back nine — three bogeys between the 11th and 15th, followed by a closing double bogey — and the contest was effectively over.

Three years after finishing runner-up here in 2023, the 2018 Masters champion finally added Dubai to his résumé. The win was built on consistency rather than Sunday fireworks: 69-66-67-72, a performance that steadily separated him from a deep field.

Behind Reed, Andy Sullivan closed with a 71 to finish alone in second, while France’s Julien Guerrier claimed third after a 69. Puig slipped to a tie for seventh after his late collapse, which included a two-shot penalty for grounding his club in a bunker.

Four-time champion Rory McIlroy endured a rare off-week by his standards, finishing tied 33rd after a final-round 73 — his first finish outside the top 10 at the event since 2008.

For Reed, the victory came with a $1.53 million cheque and vindicated his long-stated fondness for the Majlis Course. Calm, patient, and unflustered, he finally turned familiarity into a title on one of the DP World Tour’s biggest stages.

Photo – DPWT