Successful start for Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen on the DP World Tour. Other German players also perform well after round one in Dubai.
Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen Impress in Dubai Opener
The DP World Tour Hero Dubai Desert Classic 2026 at the Emirates Golf Club has officially begun. Although the round was interrupted shortly before the end, the DACH players can already claim a mostly successful start.
Joel Girrbach of Switzerland showed strong early form. Despite a bogey right at the start, he remained composed and played flawlessly thereafter. 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 on a Par 5 after a perfect second shot. He finished with a 68 (-4), placing him in an excellent fourth after round one.
Close behind, German Nicolai von Dellingshausen also impressed. After a slow start with +1 after nine holes, he fired four birdies on the back nine, demonstrating sharp approach shots and confident putting, finishing with a 69 (-3) and inside the top 10.
Leading the field is Italy’s Francesco Molinari. The veteran posted a near-perfect round with seven under par, including four birdies on both the front and back nine with just one bogey on hole 12. Ahead of Girrbach and von Dellingshausen are Mikael Lindberg (-5) and JC Ritchie (-4).
Other German Players Hold Good Positions
Marcel Schneider had a mixed day with four birdies offset by three bogeys, finishing at -1 and well positioned for the upcoming days. Freddy Schott also closed at -1 despite six birdies and five bogeys, including penalties on holes 12 and 18.
Marcel Siem started on the back nine and showcased his class with a chip-in birdie on 16 and a well-earned birdie on 5 from behind trees. Despite some bogeys, he fought back to finish even par with a birdie on the last hole.
Perfection from Marcel Siem 💯#HeroDubaiDesertClassic | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/6GXkEcdL9M
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 22, 2026
Mixed Starts for Wiesberger and Steinlechner
Bernd Wiesberger (+2) and Maximilian Stein