Johnson was beginning to feel more comfortable playing against players he used to watch on television.
"It was a little strange at first," he said. "I would be out on the range hitting balls next to guys like Hale Irwin and other great players. I was in awe of those guys and now I'm competing against them.
"I have set some high goals for myself, but I think they are attainable. I want to finish in the top 30 or the top 50. I know I have the game to do that, I just need to be very consistent."
Reid had an eagle, four birdies and four bogeys.
Richard Green of Australia shot a 4-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Swedish golfers Pierre Fulke and Robert Karlsson after the second round.
Ernie Els, the only top-50 ranked player in the field, bounced back with a 69 after opening with a 73. No. 3 ranked Els of South Africa is seven strokes off the lead going into the weekend.
Green had a composite 9-under 135. Fulke shot 70 and Karlsson carded a 67, both in at 136. Thai golfer Thaworn Wiratchant shot a 68 and was a further stroke behind.
Three players were three shots off the lead: Frenchmen Raphael Jacquelin (68) and Gregory Harvet (67), and David Park (70) of Wales.
"You can never write Ernie off," Green said.
"I wouldn't mind betting he puts together a 6-under or something like that tomorrow."
Els, who won last weekend in Dubai, said he would need a "quality weekend" to be in contention at Qatar. A strong finish would allow the South African to close in on No. 1-ranked Tiger Woods and No. 2 Vijay Singh.
Els, reported to be receiving about ?200,000 (US$385,000) to play in Qatar and give a clinic, exchanged angry words on the practice range just before his round with his Belgian sports' psychologist Jos Vanstiphout.
Els said he was receiving criticism from Vanstiphout, instead of encouragement.
"It was crazy. I guess we can put it down to a misunderstanding, Els said.
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