Nicolai von Dellingshausen kicks off the DP World Tour Final in Abu Dhabi with a bogey-free 65. Marcel Schneider posts even par.
Strong start for Nicolai von Dellingshausen at the opening round of the DP World Tour Final: seven birdies, no bogeys, a clean 65. The German golfer finds himself tied for sixth place after round one in Abu Dhabi. Marcel Schneider delivered a solid but less spectacular round of 72.
Flawless start for Von Dellingshausen at DP World Tour Final
Von Dellingshausen looked composed from the outset. He picked up his first birdie on the par-5 2nd with a precise approach and a confident two-meter putt. He followed up immediately on the 3rd with another birdie from four meters. After a string of steady pars, he caught fire on the closing holes of the front nine: a chip and tap-in on 7, another birdie on 8, and a pinpoint approach on 9 for a birdie hat trick. Five under at the turn.
The back nine began quietly but remained error-free. He added another birdie on the 11th with a classic sand save from the bunker. He kept the momentum with solid pars and capped the round with a final birdie on the 18th, sinking a short putt to finish at seven under. His 65 puts him in an ideal position heading into round two.
Schneider steady with even-par round
Marcel Schneider opened with nine straight pars, showing consistency on the front nine. He finally broke through with a birdie on the par-5 11th after a successful sandy. A poor bunker shot on the par-3 13th led to a bogey, but he bounced back with a birdie on 14 after a strong recovery from the sand. However, trouble on the par-5 18th—two shots into the fairway bunker and a missed up-and-down—left him with a 72, even par, and tied for 59th place.
Lowry and Fleetwood lead the charge
The leaderboard is topped by five players at -8, including Ryder Cup teammates Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood, who both opened with 64s while playing in the same group. Lowry carded nine birdies and one bogey, while Fleetwood remained bogey-free with eight birdies. The duo has a history of strong performances together, including a 64 from Lowry in their pairing at the last