Reed wins Hero Dubai Desert Classic; Scheffler is at the top of La Quinta

American golfer Patrick Reed poses with the Hero Dubai Desert Classic trophy at the Emirates Golf Club on Sunday. Image courtesy of DPWT.

By Rahul Banerji

Patrick Reed won his first Hero Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday with a composed performance in challenging conditions at the Emirates Golf Club.

Despite a modest start, the 2018 Masters champion maintained control through the final round to secure an impressive victory over a world-class field.

In California, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler claimed his 20th PGA Tour victory at American Express, joining Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to cross that mark before the age of 30.

“Pretty wild,” Scheffler said later. “It has been a great start to my career.

“It was special. I try not to think about those things too much. I just tried to do the things I needed to do to be prepared.”

Reed (69-66-67-72) finished at 14-under 274 for the tournament and sealed the title with four shots in one of the strongest fields in the event’s 37-year history.

The American golfer finished second in his final Desert Classic start of 2023 and Sunday saw England’s Andy Sullivan (71-65-71-71) take second place at 10 under 278.

The Hero Dubai Desert Classic trophy was presented to Reed by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Managing Director of Emirates Airline and Group.

Lucrative payday

The LIV Golf star also received a winner’s check for $1.53 million, while the runner-up earned $990,000.

Frenchman Julien Guerrier (73-72-65-69) was third, while Spaniard David Puig, who looked set to challenge Reed on the back nine, dropped back to take a share of seventh place.

Four-time Desert Classic winner Rory McIlroy had a tough week, closing with a 73 to finish in 33rd place – his first finish outside the top 10 at the event since 2008.

Hero MotoCorp had sent invitations to India’s leading stars Shubhankar Sharma and Yuvraj Singh Sandhu. However, both missed the cut in windy and demanding conditions.

“The Hero Dubai Desert Classic once again showcased exceptional golf, cementing its status as one of the best tournaments in the world,” said Dr. Pawan Munjal, executive chairman of Hero MotoCorp.

“Hero MotoCorp is proud to serve as title sponsor for a fourth consecutive year and support an event that celebrates excellence, unity and the enduring spirit of sport.”

Scheffler on song

In La Quinta, Scheffler (63-64-68-66, 27-under 261) was dominant in clinching the title by four shots despite a bogey and a double along the way in his 151st PGA Tour start.

Jason Day, Ryan Gerard, Matt McCarty and Andrew Putnam tied for second at 23 under 265s.

Indian-American star Sahith Theegala continued his comeback after a shaky start with a bogey-free 7 under par 65 to finish in the top 10.

Theegala moved up the rankings to share eighth place at 21 under par for his first top-10 result since the 2024 Tour Championship.

His recovery was remarkable after an opening 1-under 71 left him tied for 118th, but cards of 64, 67 and 65 followed, including two bogey-free attempts.

Scheffler started Sunday two shots behind leader Si Woo Kim but unleashed nine birdies, including four in six holes on the front nine, to quickly set a fast pace.

The victory also earned him a lifetime membership of the Tour.

American teenager Blades Brown, who started alongside Scheffler and attracted a lot of attention all week, threatened briefly but then disappeared as world number 1. 1 went into overdrive.

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