Patrick Reed shot a bogey-free 66 to lead the Dubai Desert Classic by one stroke at nine-under. Andy Sullivan is second after a 65. India’s Shubhankar Sharma and Yuvraj Singh Sandhu both missed the cut at the Rolex Series event.
Patrick Reed once again showed his affinity for the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club, firing a flawless second-round 66 to move into a slender lead at the Dubai Desert Classic, as India’s challenge ended with both Shubhankar Sharma and Yuvraj Singh Sandhu failing to make the cut. The American, a former Masters champion, climbed to nine-under-par to hold a one-shot advantage over England’s Andy Sullivan, who produced one of the rounds of the tournament with a brilliant seven-under 65. Reed’s latest surge added to his impressive recent record in Dubai, having finished runner-up in 2023 and inside the top ten last season.
Indian debutant Yuvraj Singh Sandhu signed for successive rounds of 73 to miss the weekend, while Sharma endured a difficult second day, adding a 77 to his opening 74 to exit the $9 million Rolex Series event at the halfway stage.
Reed’s Flawless Charge to the Top
Reed began the day four strokes behind overnight leader Francesco Molinari but quickly made up ground after starting on the back nine. A birdie from the fringe at the 12th sparked his charge before he produced a moment of magic at the 13th, draining a remarkable 42-foot eagle putt that catapulted him up the leaderboard. Another birdie at the 17th took Reed to seven-under, and when he rolled in a four-foot birdie putt at the opening hole, he briefly shared the lead. He then moved clear with a further birdie at the third, reaching nine-under, and maintained his advantage with a composed finish of six straight pars to complete a bogey-free round.
Sullivan’s Eagle Finish Secures Second
Sullivan’s challenge gathered momentum early. The 38-year-old found his rhythm with four consecutive birdies starting at the third hole and added another at the ninth to turn in five-under-par. Though a bogey-birdie-bogey sequence from the 12th momentarily slowed him, Sullivan responded admirably after another dropped shot at the 16th. A birdie at the 17th was followed by a superb approach into the final hole, setting up a closing eagle that vaulted him into second place at eight-under.
The Chasing Pack
Mikael Lindberg also remained firmly in contention as he continued a run of consistent performances. The Swede birdied three of his opening four holes to climb to eight-under, but successive bogeys checked his progress. Further dropped shots later in the round saw him slip back to seven-under, still very much in the mix heading into the weekend.
Behind the leading trio, Italy’s Francesco Molinari and Andrea Pavan sat one shot further adrift, while Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard produced a bogey-free 67 that included five birdies on the back nine to move into solo fifth at six-under.
Race to Dubai leader Jayden Schaper returned a 68 to reach five-under, joined by fellow South African Hennie du Plessis, Lindberg, Finland’s Oliver Lindell and defending champion Tyrrell Hatton, ensuring a tightly packed leaderboard going into the final two rounds. (ANI)
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