(Photo credit: Bill Streicher)

Patrick Reed has committed to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next month, setting up a potential blockbuster showdown with Rory McIlroy.

Reed, 36, has been leading the European circuit's season-long Race to Dubai standings since his victories at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January and the Qatar Masters in February.

The 2018 Masters champion is attempting to become just the second American golfer to win the Order of Merit title after Collin Morikawa in 2021.

Reed's title hopes took a hit when he was forced to withdraw from last month's BMW PGA Championship due to an injury. He is also missing this week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St. Andrews in Scotland.

His absences have opened the door for Northern Ireland's McIlroy, the World No. 2 who is seeking his record-tying eighth Harry Vardon Trophy. Scotland's Colin Montgomerie won eight times (1993-99, 2005).

Reed entered this week with 3,423.6 points and McIlroy ranked second with 3,115.9, followed by Spain's Eugenio Chacarra with 2,824.4.

Announcing his commitment Thursday to the Nov. 12-15 DP World Tour Championship, Reed said he was looking forward to the challenge.

'Dubai is where the season really got going for me, so it would be pretty cool to finish it there with the Harry Vardon Trophy,' Reed said.

'I've played the DP World Tour Championship a bunch of times over the years, so I know the golf course pretty well and what it takes to get it done there. There are some really good players behind me, and that's what makes the DP World Tour so competitive. You know you're going to have to play well right to the end.'

--Field Level Media