Patrick Reed, the current leader in the Race to Dubai, is preparing to compete at the Open de Espana starting Thursday, marking his return after a shoulder injury. Reed, who withdrew during the second round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, is determined to extend his lead over Rory McIlroy, who is approximately 300 points behind and is not participating in Spain this week.

Reed, 36, aspires to become only the second American to win the European No. 1 title, a feat accomplished by Collin Morikawa in 2021. Since February, Reed has led the standings, boasting victories at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and the Qatar Masters, along with three additional top-10 finishes.

In his own words, Reed emphasized the significance of winning the Race to Dubai:

To have the opportunity to come over here, not only just play on this tour, but also to have a chance to win the Race to Dubai, it would mean a lot.

• He also referenced advice from Gary Player, stating, "if you want to be a worldwide player, you've got to go out and play outside of the PGA Tour."

Reflecting on his injury, Reed mentioned, "Never saw it coming. It was my first time withdrawing during a round of golf due to injury. I would rather shoot a million than withdraw." He noted that while the injury was uncomfortable, it only set him back a week, and he feels capable of performing well.

Notably, three-time champion Jon Rahm will miss the tournament as he awaits the birth of his daughter. The event will also feature last year's champion Marco Penge, along with prominent players like Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, and Sergio Garcia.

Reed, who left LIV Golf earlier this year to return to the PGA Tour, last played in the Ryder Cup in 2018. Looking ahead to the 2027 tournament in Ireland, U.S. captain Jim Furyk stated, "We are going to put the best 12 guys, the best team of 12. If Patrick Reed is one of those, that's great."