Patrick Reed eyes top finish in Race to Dubai with 2027 PGA Tour card on the line at DP World Tour Championship

The DP World Tour Championship kicks off in Dubai, with heavy implications for the top-10 finishers who are not already exempt on the PGA Tour.

For those players, a 2027 PGA Tour card is on the line, and for Patrick Reed, the week could mark the final step toward returning to the Tour where he won nine times, including the 2018 Masters.

Reed sits No. 3 in the Race to Dubai Rankings after winning the Dubai Desert Classic and the Qatar Masters earlier this year. His consistent play throughout the year has put him in position to become just the second American to win the Race to Dubai.

“To have to finish in the top 10 to earn my spot on the PGA Tour, and basically come out and believe in myself and put all my eggs in one basket and go get the job done means a lot,” Reed said Tuesday. “We have one more week, and still have that opportunity to be the second American to win the Race to Dubai, which would mean a lot to me. So hopefully we can go out there and cap off the year.”

Reed spent more than a decade on Tour, pairing nine victories with a fiery competitive edge that made him a fixture on Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams. Reed's pathway back to the U.S. Team has been difficult to envision. Limited opportunities to earn Official World Golf Ranking points caused him to slide down the rankings, while his absence from Tour competition left him out of Ryder Cup conversation.

A 2027 PGA Tour card could vault Reed back into the conversation regarding international team events.

“Any time I can represent the United States and wear red, white and blue means a lot for me," Reed said. "And I know obviously for my team and my family, and yeah, to get back and playing on those Ryder Cup teams and being a thorn in the side for those Europeans has always been something I've always enjoyed and had fun with."

The timing of Reed's potential return is notable. U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Jim Furyk recently shifted Ryder Cup qualification to a single-year points cycle, replacing the previous two-year accumulation period.

This means that the playing field is even for all players, and a great year for Reed could quickly move him back into contention for a trip to Adare Manor, the site of the 2027 Ryder Cup.

Reed could also be a much-needed spark for the United States, as the U.S. Team hopes to end its Ryder Cup losing streak at two following a 13-15 loss against Team Europe at Bethpage Black in 2025, the first home loss for the U.S. Team since 2012.

Across three Ryder Cup appearances, Reed compiled a 7-3-2 record and became known for his emotional match-play performances, particularly during the 2016 matches at Hazeltine, where his Sunday singles duel with Rory McIlroy helped define the event.

“I know next year it's going to be important to go out there and play really well next year to make the team,” Reed said in Dubai. “It's definitely going to be a part of the goals, if not right there, right at the top of first things I want to do, is go out there and represent our country and play for the USA.”

While a 2027 PGA Tour card wouldn't guarantee Reed a return to Ryder Cup competition, it would remove the biggest obstacle standing in the way of his fourth Ryder Cup appearance. Reed arrives in Dubai with an opportunity to accomplish two significant goals in the same week: become the second American to win the Race to Dubai and put himself on a path back to the biggest stages in golf.