Successful start for Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen on the DP World Tour. Several German players also feature prominently after round one in Dubai.
Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen Impress at Dubai Opener
The DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic 2026 at Emirates Golf Club has officially kicked off. Although the round was interrupted shortly before the end, the DACH players can now already be proud of a largely successful start.
Leading the pack was Joel Girrbach from Switzerland, who showed strong early form. Despite a bogey right at the start, he remained composed and played flawlessly afterwards. Birdies on holes 3 and 6 brought him back to even par before the turn. On the back nine, Girrbach impressed further with an eagle after a perfect second shot on a par 5. He finished with a 68 (-4), placing him fourth after the first round.
Close behind, Nicolai Von Dellingshausen also made a great impression. After a slow start and +1 after nine holes, the German turned up the heat on the back nine with birdies on holes 10, 12, 13, and 16, showing excellent approach shots and putting. He recorded five birdies and a 69 (-3), currently keeping him inside the top 10.
At the top of the leaderboard stands Italian veteran Francesco Molinari, who played an almost flawless opening round with -7. He birdied four holes on both the front and back nine, with only one bogey on hole 12 securing the early lead. Ahead of Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen are also Mikael Lindberg (-5) and JC Ritchie (-4).
Other German Players Hold Strong Positions
Marcel Schneider experienced a mixed day with four birdies providing momentum, but three bogeys stopped a higher placement. He finished round one at -1, remaining well-positioned for the coming days.
Freddy Schott also made it to the clubhouse at -1. Despite six strong birdies, five bogeys—including two bunker shots and penalty strokes on holes 12 and 18—kept his score from dropping lower.
Marcel Siem, starting on the back nine, showcased his class intermittently: a chip-in birdie on the 16th and a cleverly executed birdie on the 5th from the rough were highlights. Despite several bogeys, he battled back to post an even-par round, finishing with a birdie on the last hole.
Perfection from Marcel Siem 💯#HeroDubaiDesertClassic | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/6GX