Patrick Reed sends Rory McIlroy message ahead of BMW PGA Championship

Former Masters champion Patrick Reed says he is hopeful his duel with Rory McIlroy for the Race to Dubai title comes down to the wire.

Reed has been in superb form on the DP World Tour this season since quitting LIV Golf. 

The 36-year-old American picked up two wins in the space of three weeks in January and now holds a comfortable lead over McIlroy.

McIlroy, 36, was crowned Europe’s top golfer in 2025, surpassing Seve Ballesteros' tally of six order of merit titles and moving to within one of Colin Montgomerie's record eight.

The six-time major champion would no doubt relish matching the Scot by getting one over on his former Ryder Cup rival. 

"It's always fun going up against Rors," Reed told Mirror Sport ahead of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

"I've always loved going up against him.

"I always want to go up against the best players in the world, and he's definitely in that category.

"To have the opportunity to play against him more frequently, especially here in the Race to Dubai, is going to be amazing.

"I just have to go out there and continue playing some solid golf, and hopefully continue staying ahead of him."

The comments come with Reed and McIlroy having already shared some of golf's most intense moments, both on and off the course.

Their rivalry was forged at the 2016 Ryder Cup, when Reed defeated McIlroy on the final hole in a sensational Sunday singles contest at Hazeltine.

The United States won the 41st edition of the matches 17-11. 

Reed, nicknamed Captain America, holed a birdie putt at the 18th to seal victory in a match widely regarded as one of the greatest individual Ryder Cup duels.

Seven years later, the tension spilled away from the course.

At the 2023 Dubai Desert Classic, McIlroy blanked Reed when the American approached him on the driving range.

Reed responded by flicking a LIV-branded tee towards McIlroy, an incident that quickly became a major talking point.

McIlroy later explained that his frosty reaction was linked to a subpoena delivered to his home on Christmas Eve by Reed's lawyer.

The episode added another layer to their already complicated relationship.

Reed subsequently described McIlroy as an "immature little child" over the episode.

For his part, McIlroy said "if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't expect a hello or a handshake", adding that he is "living in reality".

While the pair have appeared to move on from the most heated exchanges of their feud, there has been little indication from McIlroy that the relationship has been fully repaired.

"That sounds great," Reed added when asked about the prospect of battling McIlroy to the end.

"I have put myself in a good position, and I just need to clean up a few things.

"By that point, hopefully come Sunday in the final event, we're able to battle it out to the finish."