NEW DELHI — Patrick Reed faces an anxious wait to see if he will make the cut at the DP World Tour event at Delhi Golf Club, with his long-held lead at the top of the Race To Dubai standings in serious jeopardy. The American, who has led since February, finished on level par through 36 holes after a second-round 69, leaving him just one shot above the current cut mark while rivals Eugenio Chacarra and Rory McIlroy are both well placed in India.
Reed followed Thursday's disappointing 75 with a 69 on Friday to repair some damage, but a five-hour weather delay in New Delhi on Thursday has left the tournament running way behind schedule. Play was suspended at 6pm local time on Friday due to darkness and will resume at 6.45am on Saturday, meaning Reed has completed two rounds while his closest challengers still have much of their second rounds to play. McIlroy was two under through four holes on Friday and four under for the tournament in T17 when play was halted, while Chacarra was fifth on seven under after just five holes.
The permutations leave Reed vulnerable at the top of the standings. Chacarra sits second on 3,257.89 points, just 165.73 points behind Reed's 3,423.62, and would need a solo top-six finish in Delhi to move above the American into the lead. McIlroy is third on 3,115.86 points, 307.76 points adrift, and would require a top-three finish to overtake Reed. Both men could eat significantly into his advantage or knock him off top spot entirely with high finishes at the weekend.
Reed is bidding to become only the second American to win the Race To Dubai after Collin Morikawa in 2021 and to end McIlroy's run of four straight titles, while the Northern Irishman is chasing an eighth year as European No.1 to equal Colin Montgomerie. Reed had looked to have the title sewn up after two wins at the start of the season and a T2 at the Irish Open gave him a buffer, but a wrist injury forced him out of the BMW PGA Championship where McIlroy finished second to collect bumper points. Reed then missed the cut at the Open de Espana, where Chacarra defied a fractured toe to finish second, adding to a T3 at the Open de France to turn a two-horse race into a genuine three-way battle.
Whatever happens in New Delhi, the Race To Dubai is set for a thrilling climax when the DP World Tour heads to the Middle East for its two play-off events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Reed is trying to rediscover form after injury, but he could find himself down in third by the end of the week with all to play for in the final stretch.