Patrick Reed hands Rory McIlroy an early Race to Dubai headache

Rory McIlroy may already be facing an uncomfortable problem in the Race to Dubai – and it comes from one of his fiercest and most familiar rivals.

Patrick Reed has exploded out of the blocks in 2026, winning two of his first three DP World Tour starts to surge to the top of the Race to Dubai standings and send an early warning shot in McIlroy’s direction.

The American, long nicknamed ‘Captain America’ for his Ryder Cup exploits, claimed his latest victory at the Qatar Masters on Sunday, closing with rounds of 65, 67, 70 and 70 to secure a two-shot win over Calum Hill. It followed another win at the Dubai Desert Classic last month and a play-off defeat two weeks ago in Bahrain that could easily have delivered a remarkable hat-trick.

Reed’s blistering start leaves him comfortably clear at the summit of the Race to Dubai, more than 400 points ahead of Jayden Schaper, and already around 2,000 points in front of McIlroy, who slipped to 30th after sitting out last week.

While it remains very early in the season, the message is clear: Reed is back on the DP World Tour, he is playing freely, and he intends to challenge McIlroy’s grip on European golf’s biggest individual prize.

McIlroy has dominated the Race to Dubai in recent years, lifting the title seven times in total and winning the last four in succession. One more would see the Northern Irishman draw level with Colin Montgomerie’s all-time record of eight Order of Merit titles. For now, though, Reed has thrown down a serious early gauntlet, and McIlroy is on high alert. 

Reed formally departed LIV Golf in January after four years with the Saudi-backed circuit and has wasted little time rediscovering his appetite for regular competition. Although he is ineligible to rejoin the PGA Tour until August 2026, his Honorary Lifetime Membership on the DP World Tour has given him freedom to build a schedule around the majors – and to rack up points in the process.

Crucially for McIlroy, Reed has made it clear he plans to play as many DP World Tour events as possible, maximising opportunities to extend his advantage while the biggest points-heavy tournaments are still months away.

After his Qatar Masters win, Reed openly discussed his ambitions.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to be an American to win the Race to Dubai,” said Reed. 

“This little run I’ve had – two wins and a second – it’s awesome. We couldn’t ask anything more than what we did.

“It’s special to come out here and get two wins early in the season, and hopefully there’s a lot more to come.”

Historically, McIlroy has relied on strong performances in the majors and Rolex Series events to make decisive moves up the standings. But if Reed continues to convert regular DP World Tour starts into wins and top finishes, McIlroy may be forced to rethink his schedule – and deliver his very best on the biggest stages – to prevent Reed from running away with the title.

Reed’s resurgence comes alongside his formal steps towards a PGA Tour return. Having resigned his membership in 2022 before joining LIV Golf, he will be eligible to compete as a non-member from August 25, 2026, with a full return targeted for the 2027 season. Until then, the DP World Tour is very much his arena – and McIlroy’s most immediate battleground.

For now, the Race to Dubai has a new early leader, and McIlroy has an almighty headache brewing far sooner than he might have expected.