Patrick Reed has enjoyed a rather busy 2024, with the American featuring on the LIV Golf League, DP World Tour and the Asian Tour circuit.
Although he hasn't claimed a victory yet, he is on-course to do so at the Link Hong Kong Open, as an 11-under-par 59 at the Hong Kong Golf Club has put him in a fine position to claim his first win of the year.
The 59 is the second in Asian Tour history and comes just eight months after John Catlin became the first player to shoot the number at the International Series Macau. Ironically, that day, Reed was paired with his fellow countryman.
"Yeah, you know, it was kind of one those days,” explained Reed, who is attempting to win for the first time in four years and claim his maiden Asian Tour title.
“I got up, I felt a little tight but felt ready to go and got out here and had probably one of the worst warm-ups ever. I looked at my caddy, and he goes, hey, a warm-up is a warm-up, let's go out and just play golf. He goes, some of your best rounds have come from a poor warm-up.”
Starting his third round with five straight birdies, Reed then made a sixth gain on the seventh, as a front nine of 28 meant the 59 was truly on. Despite three pars to begin the back nine, another birdie at the 13th meant he would need four birdies in his final five holes.
Parring the 14th, the former Major winner then found three birdies on the bounce on the 15th, 16th and 17th and, putting his approach close at the final hole, he was able to make the final putt to put himself into the history books.
Sitting three shots clear of Rashid Khan and Nitithorn Thippong, Reed is on-course for a first win on the Asian Tour circuit and, with it, a first victory since the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open.
