The DP World Tour kicks off a new tournament week with the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship. Two Germans managed to move to the top after the opening round.
The DP World Tour Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship has started. At the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain, especially two Germans stood out against the international field on the first day.
Schott Takes the Lead on the DP World Tour, Von Dellingshausen Follows
Freddy Schott had a dream start on the opening day, making an early statement. The German recorded six birdies in his first nine holes, five in a row, quickly climbing to the top of the leaderboard. A double bogey on his tenth hole briefly interrupted his momentum, but Schott remained unfazed: birdies on 14 and 17, with only one further bogey, got him back on track. He finished his round with an eagle on the last hole, sharing the lead at -7 with Spaniard Alejandro Del Rey, who shot a flawless round with seven birdies and no bogeys.
In chasing position was Nicolai von Dellingshausen. After strong front nine with birdies on holes 3, 4, 6, and 7, along with an eagle on the 9th following a perfect approach shot just inches from the pin, he stood at -5. Although he suffered a bogey on the 11th, he countered with birdies on the 13th and 18th. At -6, he heads into the second day in promising contention, with his precise green approaches earning multiple birdies.
Other DACH Players Show Mixed Results
Marcel Schneider sits mid-field after round one. His mixed performance included five birdies but also two bogeys and a double bogey, finishing at -1. Notably, he excelled on par-3 holes, scoring birdies on three out of four.
Joel Girrbach of Switzerland finished with -2. He started solidly with a birdie and eight pars but faced two bogeys on the back nine. Birdies on 15, 16, and 18 helped him secure an under-par round.
Marcel Siem experienced ups and downs. After bogeys on holes 4 and 5, he narrowly missed a hole-in-one at the 7th, holing out for birdie there and again on 9 to reach even par at the turn. Early bogeys on the back nine were offset by a birdie on 14, but a late bogey left him at +2 for the day.
Bernd Wiesberger and Maximilian Steinlechner each recorded three birdies and six bogeys, finishing the day at +3 and in the back third of the field.
Defending Champion Off to a Strong Start
Last year’s winner Laurie Canter is on track to defend his title. The Englishman carded three birdies on the front nine and added four more on the back nine with just one bogey for a -6, keeping him within striking distance of the lead.
Making headlines was recent winner Patrick Reed,