Patrick Reed will be looking to become the first American to be crowned European Tour number one this weekend as the season reaches its conclusion in Dubai.

The major champion heads a field that also includes Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Ian Poulter, Matt Wallace, Danny Willett and Viktor Hovland, the Norwegian winner on the PGA Tour in Mexico last Sunday.

Reed won the 2018 Masters and currently leads the Race to Dubai from 2017 winner Tommy Fleetwood, who will also be heading to Jumeirah Golf Estates.

The 30-year old finished runner-up to Danny Willett in 2018 on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates and has also recorded two top tens in four appearances in the Race to Dubai finale having first taken up European Tour membership in 2015.

He topped the standings earlier in the year after his victory at the WGC-Mexico Championship in February – his second World Golf Championship title – and returned to the top of the Race to Dubai after finishing in a share of third place at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

“Winning the Race to Dubai and the European Tours’ Order of Merit has always been a goal of mine. I came close in 2018 and you can bet I will do my best to earn the top spot,” said Reed.

“The DP World Tour Championship is an event I’ve been looking forward to since the rescheduled season was announced and it will be a great way to end 2020.

“Being a worldwide player is certainly at the forefront of my mind as a professional. Experiencing new cultures and playing in different conditions ultimately helps me become a more well-rounded golfer and person.

“It would be an honour to become the first American to win the Race to Dubai and I’m really looking forward to the challenge of competing at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.”

Reed holds a 460-point advantage over Tommy Fleetwood, with American, Collin Morikawa, 546 points behind in third place with an $8m (£6m) prize fund and 12,000 Race points up for grabs. 

The 23-year-old finds himself in contention following his maiden major triumph at the US PGA Championship at Harding Park, which counts towards the Race to Dubai for European Tour members.

As it happens, this will be his first start in a proper European Tour event, but the fact that Morikawa is a member and willing to take part demonstrates the commitment of one of the most exciting young talents in the world.

“I’m looking forward to playing in a new environment in the Middle East,” said Morikawa. “The opportunity to win the Race to Dubai is a thrill and it would be a great way to end an unforgettable year.”

England’s Lee Westwood lies in fourth place and the 47-year-old is looking for his third money list title ahead of the Ryder Cup next year.

“It’s a big honour for any player to be crowned the European Tour’s Number One,” he said. “I’ve done it twice before so it’s great to have another chance again this year.”

Meanwhile, Frenchman Christiaan Bezuidenhout is bidding for his third title in three weeks after winning his native South African Open by five shots last weekend, a fourth win in the last two years which puts him ahead of Tiger Woods, Gary Woodland, Sergio Garcia and Day in the Official World Golf Rankings.

The DP World Tour Championship, Dubai is the fourth and final Rolex Series event of the reshaped 2020 Race to Dubai, following on from the Abu Dhabi Championship, Scottish Open and BMW PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy took the title in 2015 with Jon Rahm claiming victory in 2017 and again last year; both players have decided not to make the trip in 2020.

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