The DP World Tour kicks off a new tournament week with the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship. Two Germans make a strong start on day one. The DP World Tour Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship has started at the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain, where two German players stood out against the international field on the opening day.
Schott Takes the Lead on the DP World Tour, Von Dellingshausen Follows Closely
Freddy Schott had a dream start on the opening day, making six birdies in his first nine holes, including five in a row, quickly moving to the top of the leaderboard. Although a double bogey on his tenth hole slowed his momentum briefly, Schott recovered with birdies on the 14th and 17th holes and only one more bogey. He capped his round with an eagle on the final hole to share the lead at -7 alongside Spaniard Alejandro Del Rey, who played a flawless round with seven birdies and no bogeys. In chase position is Nicolai von Dellingshausen. After a strong front nine with birdies on holes 3, 4, 6, and 7 and an eagle on the 9th following a nearly perfect approach to the green, he was already at -5. Although he made a bogey on the 11th, he responded with birdies on the 13th and 18th, finishing the day at -6 in a promising follow-up position, thanks to his precise approach shots.
Other DACH Players Show Mixed Results
Marcel Schneider sits in the midfield after the first round with a mixed performance of five birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey, resulting in a -1 total. Notably, he impressed on par-3 holes with birdies on three of the four. Joel Girrbach from Switzerland finished at -2 after a solid start with one birdie and eight pars; despite two bogeys on the back nine, he countered with birdies on 15, 16, and 18, securing an under-par round. Marcel Siem experienced ups and downs. After bogeys on the 4th and 5th holes, he narrowly missed a hole-in-one on the 7th but made birdies at 7 and 9, going into the back nine at even par. Early bogeys on the back nine and a birdie at 14 led to a +2 finish for the day. Bernd Wiesberger and Maximilian Steinlechner ended the day at +3, each with three birdies and six bogeys, placing them in the lower third of the field.
Title Defense Mission Off to a Strong Start
Last year’s champion Laurie Canter is on track to defend his title. The Englishman posted three birdies on the front nine and added four more on the back nine, finishing with only one bogey at -6, keeping him in close contention for the lead. Headlines were also made by recent winner Patrick Reed, who announced before the tournament he would not return to LIV Golf but plans a PGA Tour comeback in summer 2026. On the course, Reed had a mixed round with five birdies and four bogeys, placing him at -1 in the