HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

January 23, 2026

Patrick Reed

Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club

Press Conference

Q. Fantastic 66, bogey-free today. Try and talk us through that.

PATRICK REED: You know, pretty good warmup this morning. I feel like yesterday I hit the ball, you know, decent. Just kind of hard to tell with how hard that wind was blowing.

I mean, game felt good. Kind of went out there and gave myself a lot of good looks, good opportunities, and only missing one green today, that definitely helps.

You know, I went around this place, hit 17 greens and the one I missed was in the fairway, basic chip. You know, you're able to do that around this type of golf course, you know, you're able to shoot a number, and I was lucky enough to see a couple putts go in early and it just went from there.

Q. Yesterday was a 69, but you had a bit of everything, only six pars on the scorecard. What was the difference between yesterday? Was it conditions or your game or both?

PATRICK REED: A little bit of both. Felt like yesterday, especially on that back nine, I tried to do too much. Tried to take on shots that I probably shouldn't have especially with the conditions and how the greens were, and because of that, short-sided myself a couple times in the rough.

The way that golf course was playing yesterday with how firm and fast the greens were, you just couldn't short-side yourself in the rough and I seemed to do that whenever I made bogey. Missed a couple short putts.

But I felt like because the conditions, because of how it was yesterday, it was going to play tough and it was going to be an up-and-down round. But the good thing is today I felt like we're hitting the ball exactly where I need to and I feel like I'm hitting some solid putts.

Q. Can you describe the greens? You said they were like silver?

PATRICK REED: Yesterday, they had like a silver hue to them. Yeah, I mean, the greens are so pure, these ones are, and yesterday, whenever it gets windy, just dries them out and it's kind of hard to see the grain.

A lot of guys I heard were talking in the locker room and stuff, missing a decent amount of of short putts that we're not used to missing because sometimes the ball glides instead of turning over. You don't know if it's going to break or stay straight.

Yeah, the golf course is definitely a little bit more gettable in the morning, especially a day like today because the greens are a little bit more receptive, and you had to kind of go out and shoot a number. Yesterday was one of those days you kind of hang on.