Patrick Reed takes solo lead heading into the weekend

American Patrick Reed started the day at the Qatar Masters with a share of the lead and fired six birdies and one bogey to close with a 5-under 67 and take the solo lead at 23-under at the halfway mark.

“Honestly, today was a little frustrating, especially early,” said Reed. “Didn’t hit my first fairway until six, finally had a little bit of a celebration there for hitting the fairway and next thing you know I go and birdie the hole.

“Ball-striking wasn’t quite as sharp as it was yesterday but I missed in the right spots today and because of that I was able still to get balls on greens. Going round this place and feeling like you didn’t hit it quite as well as you wanted to, and hit 17 greens is always a positive.

“I unfortunately had the opposite shot going to what I was trying to hit early in that round. Because of that there was a little bit more stress but it definitely showed that as long as you do your homework, figure out where you can miss it on this golf course, you still have an opportunity to go out and shoot a number.

“I was able to do that and get myself back up top on the leaderboard, and at the same time feel like I got some confidence on the back nine with how I was able to hit the golf ball.”

Reed has been in great form recently, winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and finishing T2 at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship last week.

Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren signed for a bogey-free 66 featuring an eagle at the par-5 18th to move into second place at 11-under.

Overnight co-leader Daniel Hillier of New Zealand made three bogeys for a 69 and moved down into a share of third place at 10-under alongside South African Richard Sterne who shot a bogey-free 66.

England’s Matt Wallace made one bogey and recorded a 66 for a share of fifth place at 9-under alongside Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson who made two bogeys for his 66 and Ángel Ayora who made two bogeys for a 69.

Ireland’s Pádraig Harrington, playing in his 500th start on Tour, made six birdies and four bogeys for a 70 and lies in T37 at 3-under, making the cut for the 380th time.

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