LIV Golf's Patrick Reed ended his near-four-year wait for an individual victory on Sunday by winning the Asian Tour's Hong Kong Open by three strokes.
Reed had not tasted a lone triumph since the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour, but he snapped that streak by claiming a maiden Asian Tour win at Hong Kong Golf Club on 22-under.
The 2018 Masters champion followed his history-making 11-under 59 on Saturday with an impressive 66 to maintain his overnight advantage and come out on top from New Zealand's Ben Campbell - who is enjoying a fine season himself while hunting a full-time spot in the LIV Golf League next season via the Asian Tour's International Series.
The $2 million Hong Kong Open marked one of the final International Series tournaments this term, with only two more events remaining before a season-long champion is crowned.
America's John Catlin currently leads the way in the standings, but he missed the cut this week and saw his healthy gap to Campbell in second greatly reduced from around 240 points to less than 90.
Reed has also climbed into contention following his long-awaited win, which included four birdies in a row early on Sunday to help create what was - at one point - a seven-stroke cushion.
The 34-year-old dropped shots on the 15th and final holes of his fourth round, but it mattered not as Reed coasted over the line before explaining his pride over a superb weekend display.
He said: "Nothing like coming to a place that I know pretty well and love the golf course. I love how it makes me think about golf shots and you have to be creative around this place.
"So, to be able to come out and play the way like I did on the weekend. I mean, it always helps shooting 59 yesterday, but the biggest thing, the hardest part, was today.
“Going out there and forgetting about the 59 and going out, even though I had a three-shot lead, to try to expand on that. And the goal was to go out there and make a couple birdies early quickly, get up on top, so then on the back nine I could just kind of hit fairways and middle of the greens.
Patrick Reed is the 2024 Link Hong Kong Open champion 🏆 🇭🇰 #LinkHKO2024 #InternationalSeries #ThisISEverything #TimeToRise @PReedGolf pic.twitter.com/USdqou5mHbNovember 24, 2024
“When I was able to birdie on 13 there, then it just kind of got into really boring golf which led to two mistakes. But, you know, the last one, I was not ever going to take that on.”
Reed - who has won twice as part of a team since switching to LIV - saw his closest challenge come from Campbell, but the International Series' current second-place golfer admitted his cold putter prevented a real battle breaking out.
Campbell said: "Another frustrating day with the putter. I hit it really well, but yeah, for the weekend the putter was pretty cold, unfortunately.
"Obviously, it’s still a good result, but just frustrating it was not to be. I feel like I should have been right up there and pushing Patrick. So, yeah, it is what it is, but it was close.”
Japan's Kazuki Higa was third on 18-under, one stroke in front of Australia's Wade Ormsby and Thailand's Sadom Kaewkanjana. England's Justin Rose, the 2015 Hong Kong Open champion, managed a final-round 67 and ended in a tie for 18th on 13-under.
The Asian Tour only has two tournaments remaining this year, with the International Series Qatar next week preceding the season-ending PIF Saudi International at Riyadh Golf Club between December 4-7.
