Patrick Reed leads in Qatar, seeks second victory in the Middle East.

DOHA, Qatar — Patrick Reed secured a 5-under 67 on Friday, birdying two of his final three holes, which positioned him with a one-shot advantage in the Qatar Masters as the American aims to conclude a transformative month in the Middle East with another win.

Reed capitalized on late scoring chances at Doha Golf Club. He drove just short of the reachable par-4 16th, setting up a simple pitch-and-putt birdie, and opted to lay up from 272 yards on the par-5 18th, where water bordered the left side. Reed then hit a wedge to 7 feet for another birdie.

This performance brought him to 12-under 132, placing him one stroke ahead of Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren, who recorded a 66. New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier (69) and South Africa’s Richard Sterne (66) trailed by another shot.

Reed arrived in the Middle East a month ago in preparation for his fifth season on LIV Golf. He triumphed at the Dubai Desert Classic, disclosed that he had not yet signed a contract with LIV, and subsequently could not finalize a new agreement with the Saudi-backed league.

This year, Reed is participating in a European tour schedule while aiming to return to the PGA Tour. A win in Qatar would nearly secure one of the 10 tour cards available to leading European tour players who have not yet joined the PGA Tour.