Patrick Reed is excited by the challenge of going up "against the best" in Rory McIlroy in his pursuit of winning the Race to Dubai as he continued his good form on day one at the BMW PGA Championship.
The American has led the way on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World since February 9 after a blistering start to the year that saw him win the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and Qatar Masters.
McIlroy, who is bidding to draw level with Colin Montgomerie's record haul of eight Harry Vardon Trophies, successfully defended his title at the Masters in April but is still playing catch-up ahead of what promises to be an exciting run-in to the season.
Reed strengthened his lead with a runner-up finish at the Amgen Irish Open and McIlroy admitted this week's Rolex Series event at Wentworth Club, where increased Race to Dubai points are on offer, could play a key role as the season reaches a pivotal stage.
Making what is his fifth DP World Tour start in a row, the 36-year-old, who shared a memorable Ryder Cup duel with McIlroy at Hazeltine in 2016, is showing no signs of fatigue as he carded a four-under-par 68 to sit one shot ahead of the Northern Irishman after their respective opening rounds over the West Course.
To have the opportunity to take him on throughout the whole rest of the year is going to be fun and looking forward to it
"Any time I get to go play against Rory, it's always fun because that means you get to play some amazing golf," he said, with the pair set to line up together again at the DP World India Championship next month.
"With his record and just kind of his resumé that he has, he's a champion. He's been a champion a ton of times and he's one of those guys that if you go up against the best, you're going to have to take him and Scottie [Scheffler] on.
"To have the opportunity to take him on throughout the whole rest of the year is going to be fun and looking forward to it."
Reed was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the DP World Tour in 2019 in recognition of his Masters Tournament victory a year earlier and has the chance to become just the second American winner of what was formerly the Order of Merit.
Collin Morikawa made history by becoming the first to do so in 2021 and Reed is intent on giving himself every chance of adding his name to what would be an exclusive club of two, with this his 18th start of the campaign.
"It would mean a lot," he said. "I've always prided myself as being an American that consistently comes over and shows support to this tour.
"But to also be able to go ahead, a Race to Dubai win would mean a lot. It's definitely in the back of my mind, but at the end of the day just go out there and take care of business each and every day.
"Hopefully we play late enough on Sundays coming in that we're able to kind of cap that off at the end."
