Race to Dubai: Lee Westwood Hopes to Spoil Patrick Reed’s Party
By Tim Letcher
Lee Westwood could win the Race to Dubai for the third time on Sunday. And he could keep Patrick Reed from making history in the process.
Lee Westwood has a shot to accomplish a couple of things on Sunday that would make a lot of people happy. First, Westwood could win the DP World Tour Championship and, in turn, the Race to Dubai title. If he does so, it would prevent Patrick Reed from becoming the first American to win the title. That would please many people who are not fans of Reed.
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After Saturday’s third round, there is a three-way tie for the lead in the DP World Tour Championship. Reed made an eight-foot birdie on the final hole to join England’s Laurie Canter and Matthew Fitzpatrick at 11-under par with 18 holes to play.
A stellar group, including Westwood, Viktor Hovland, Adri Armaus and Robert McIntyre. That’s seven players within one shot of the lead.
All eyes will be on Reed and Westwood on Sunday. A win at the DP World Tour Championship would give either player the title this week and the Race to Dubai crown.
Westwood is trying to prevent Reed from becoming the first American to win the title. Not only that, but Westwood would join a very exclusive group of European Tour legends who have won the Race to Dubai (formerly known as the Order of Merit) at least three times.
That group includes a who’s who in European Tour history.
Of course, no one has won it more often than Colin Montgomerie, who won the title eight times, including seven straight from 1993-99. Seve Ballesteros won the Order of Merit five times (1976-78, 1986 and 1988) and Sandy Lyle took home the title on three occasions as well (1979, 1980 and 1985). Rory McIlroy was the last player to claim the title three times (2012, 2014 and 2015).
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Westwood won the Race to Dubai in 2000 and 2009 and is on the verge of winning it again. If he can do so, he would join some elite company on the Euro Tour. And in the process, he would make a lot of people happy by keeping Reed from the title.