[Photo: Warren Little]<\/p>\n
It\u2019s early, but Patrick Reed\u2019s plan to return to the PGA Tour already seems to be coming together nicely.<\/p>\n
The 2018 Masters champion has had quite a whirlwind week. It started last Sunday when he won the Dubai Desert Classic and then promptly admitted<\/a> that his contract with LIV Golf for 2026 had not yet been signed. He seemed optimistic that it would get done soon. However, three days later Reed announced<\/a> that he would not sign the LIV contract and he intended to find his way back to the PGA Tour by finishing inside the top 10 on the DP World Tour\u2019s Race to Dubai standings at the end of the year.<\/p>\n RELATED: Phil Mickelson cites \u2018family health matter\u2019 for pulling out of LIV Golf Adelaide<\/a><\/p>\n On Sunday, he found himself in a three-man playoff at the Bahrain Championship at Royal Golf Club but ultimately made bogey on the first extra hole and tied for second place behind Germany\u2019s Freddy Schott, a 24-year-old who captured his first DP World Tour title. Reed is second in the tour\u2019s standings and although it\u2019s only early February, is in a good position to earn one of the 10 PGA Tour cards for 2027.<\/p>\n Patrick Reed into a share of the lead \ud83d\udc4f#BahrainGolfChamps<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/f4kdgbJzCH<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Reed made up ground quickly by making birdies and was six-under par for the round after 14 holes. A bogey on the 16th hurt but he entered the clubhouse with the lead at 17-under-par. Schott bogeyed the 17th and Calum Hill, leader with one hole to play, bogeyed the 18th to back into the playoff. Hill had a monstrous birdie attempt and hit a poor lag putt to 25 feet and missed that for par.<\/p>\n FROM AGD\u2019S FEBRUARY ISSUE (ON-SALE NOW):\u00a0How golf and Patrick Reed could both benefit from a reset<\/a><\/p>\n The trio returned to the 18th hole and Reed made bogey. Hill hit his drive out-of-bounds on the second playoff hole and hit his fourth shot into the water. He conceded the tournament to Schott and ended up being marked for a triple-bogey 7. Hill once held a four-shot lead after making birdie on the fifth hole.<\/p>\n Schott shot 65-67-70-69 for his first DP World Tour victory. Sergio Garcia tied for fourth place and was one shot out of the playoff.<\/p>\n The moment Freddy Schott became a winner on Tour \ud83d\ude4c<\/p>\n He beat Calum Hill on the second play-off hole as the Scotsman conceded after going out of bounds off the tee and then into the water with his fourth shot. #BahrainGolfChamps<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/GhZCRaRR6v<\/a><\/p>\n