Pat out to Reed riot act in Dubai
PATRICK REED faces a stiff British challenge as he looks to become the first American to win the Race to Dubai.
The 2018 Masters champion will take a share of the lead into today’s final round of the DP World Tour Championship, knowing victory will see him lift the Harry Vardon Trophy.
But he did not have it all his own way on day three in the desert as he battled to a 71 to sit in a three-way tie with Englishmen Laurie Canter and Matt Fitzpatrick.
Lee Westwood has already been crowned Europe’s No.1 twice and will make it a hat-trick if he finishes top of the pile.
He fired a third-round 68 to sit one shot off the lead alongside Scot Robert MacIntyre, Spaniard Adri Arnaus and Norwegian Viktor Hovland.
Reed began the week with a 460-point lead in the standings but with 2,000 points on offer to the winner it is mathematically possible for 61 of the 65-man field to finish top of the money list.
He said: “I’m trying not to really think about that.
“If it happens it would be unbelievable.
“It was always a goal of mine obviously to win golf tournaments but to win this one, and also to win the Race to Dubai and be the first American to do so would be amazing.
“We still have 18 holes left and you can’t really sit back there and think as much about that as just stay in the present and try to play some good golf tomorrow.”
Fitzpatrick – the 2016 champion at this event – said: “It was just a solid day.
“I just limited the mistakes on the whole and didn’t necessarily give myself too many chances but the most important thing was I kept myself in touch with the guys at the top.”
Finn Sami Valimaki is at nine under, a shot clear of Danny Willett and two ahead of two more Englishmen in Tyrrell Hatton and Andy Sullivan.