A heavy downpour might have rained on Patrick Reed’s victory parade at the 2026 Hero Dubai Desert Classic. But that was little more than the American had done himself over the course of four days that had started out as Rory McIlroy’s 20-year anniversary celebration.
The fate of the two players has been rivetingly intertwined for much of the past decade. There was that final day showdown at the 2018 Masters, which ultimately fell Reed’s way.
They have sparred spectacularly at Ryder Cups, all while bearing the weight of their respective sides in that biennial match up.
Even in Dubai, there has been spite. Three years ago, McIlroy had won the Desert Classic, largely through gritted teeth, after a spat with Reed on the driving range that had seen the American toss one of his LIV-branded golf tees at him.
Reed finished runner up that year, the same fate he had faced at the DP World Tour Championship, across the city at Jumeirah Golf Estates, in 2018.
He was able to break his UAE duck in convincing fashion this time around, though. Reed’s four-stroke win, ahead of second-placed Andy Sullivan, was the largest winning margin at this event since Paul Casey beat Brandon Stone to the 2021 title.
McIlroy, for his part, had been tepid all week. The world No 2, who has won this title four times in the two decades since he first played as an amateur in 2006, finished tied for 33rd in a group that also included the outgoing champion Tyrrell Hatton.
The lack of jeopardy, as well as the gloomy skies above, meant the ovation for Reed’s success was more polite than frenzied.
And then the clouds burst. The traditional presentation ceremony on the putting green between the 18th green and the clubhouse was conducted under the cover of umbrellas.
When the Dallah Trophy was then delivered to the media centre ahead of Reed’s valedictory press conference, the security guard carrying it had to nip into the canteen and get a pile of napkins to dry it.
As he toasted his success, Reed said he was grateful for the support he had received from the galleries at the Majlis Course.
“The fans over here have been amazing,” Reed said. “I always love coming over here. It seems like every time I come over, I get more and more support from the fans, which makes golf very enjoyable.
“It's fun because when they are out there cheering for you, you are trying to give them something to cheer for.
“To go out and play some solid golf, and when you get yourself in trouble in certain areas, to be able to show off with your short game and get them still behind you, it's always fun.”
Reed revealed he has yet to sign his deal to continue playing on the LIV Golf tour this season. He said nothing more than the fine print on the contract was holding him up, but acknowledged he would continue to play on the DP World and PGA Tours if the issues are not ironed out.
Brooks Koepka is one big name who announced he would be returning from the Saudi Arabia-backed league to the established tours earlier this year. It seems possible Reed could now do the same.
What is certain that he will head to Bahrain next – on an 8.30am flight out of Dubai – for the next leg of the Desert Swing on the DP World Tour.
Reed will advance back into the top 30 in the world rankings with his win in Dubai. That metric is skewed because players do not get world ranking points on the LIV tour.
“It's a hard one to answer,” Reed said when asked where he might be ranked if he did not spend so much of his season playing in non-ranking competitions.
“I definitely I feel like any time I'm playing any event I play in, I have a chance to win the golf tournament.
“Now, where does that put me in the World Ranking system? Who really knows. I feel like no matter who is in the field, if I'm just playing how I'm supposed to, I have a chance to win on Sundays, and I think that's the most important.
“The world ranking system will always take care of itself. With the LIV guys not really getting World Ranking points at all, unless they come out and play out here, majors, and then things like that, it just seems like the system is a little broken.
“For me, it's just a number on the world ranking system. When you go out there and you're playing golf, you're playing against the rest of the field and trying to win that week.
“Coming in late Sundays, if you have a chance to win more golf tournaments than not, everything else takes care of itself.”
