LIV Golf Leaderboard At The Dubai Desert Classic

One of the DP World Tour’s biggest events of the season, the Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club, began with rival circuit LIV Golf well represented.

At the start of the first Rolex Series event of 2026, 11 players from the big-money League were in the field, although three failed to make it past the halfway cut, while for those who did get beyond 36 holes, there have been differing fortunes.

For the second season in a row, a LIV Golfer is poised to win the title, with 4Aces GC’s Patrick Reed taking a four-shot lead into the final round.

The American carded a five-under 67 on Saturday to leave him on 14 under and firmly in position to succeed Legion XIII star Tyrrell Hatton as champion.

Reed is looking for his first win at the tournament and 10th on the DP World Tour in total. The closest he has come to winning the event was runner-up behind Rory McIlroy in 2023, an occasion dominated in the build-up by an incident involving the pair, which became known as teegate.

It’s the second event in the United Arab Emirates city in succession for Reed, who placed T26 at the Dubai Invitational.

While Reed will be strongly fancied to finish the job on Sunday, he faces a challenge from another LIV Golfer, David Puig.

The Fireballs GC player is four back of Reed on 10 under following his third round of 66. As a result, he won't have given up hope of his second DP World Tour win following victory at the 2025 BMW Australian PGA Championship.

Realistically, those are the only two LIV Golfers who remain in contention for the title, with Legion XIII player Tom McKibbin the next on the leaderboard in T19 and four under for the tournament, 10 back of Reed. One shot behind him is one of LIV Golf’s new signings, Thomas Detry, who ended the third round in a tie for 27th.

A year ago, there was jubilation for Hatton when he edged out Daniel Hillier by one for his first title at the event, but there surely won’t be a repeat this year. The Legion XIII player is on one under for the tournament in a tie for 42nd, not helped by a four-over round of 76 on Saturday.

Another player suffering an underwhelming week is Dubai-based Cleeks GC man Adrian Meronk. The four-time DP World Tour winner is 64th on three over.

One place beneath him are two more new LIV Golf signings, Laurie Canter and Victor Perez, on four over.

While they will be disappointed they have not been able to mount a challenge for the title, at least they did better than the three remaining LIV Golfers who began the tournament.

For Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann, who had missed the cut in his previous three events, he failed to stop the rot with his challenge finishing after 36 holes on two over.

Another LIV Golfer to miss the cut was Reed’s 4Aces GC captain Dustin Johnson, whose two rounds of 74 ensured he finished on four over for the tournament.

New Ripper GC signing Elvis Smylie was the third LIV Golfer to miss the cut after rounds of 78 and 73 left him on seven over for the tournament.

Below is the full LIV Golf leaderboard with one round to play of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Dubai Desert Classic LIV Golf Leaderboard

• 1st Patrick Reed -14
• 2nd David Puig -10
• T19 Tom McKibbin -4
• T27 Thomas Detry -3
• T42 Tyrrell Hatton -1
• 64th Adrian Meronk +3
• T65 Laurie Canter +4
• T65 Victor Perez +4
• MC Joaquin Niemann +2
• MC Dustin Johnson +4
• MC Elvis Smylie +7