The DP World Tour kicks off a new tournament week with the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, where two Germans make an early move.
The DP World Tour Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship has begun. At the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain, two Germans stood out against the international field on day one.
Schott Leads DP World Tour Field with Von Dellingshausen Close Behind
Freddy Schott got off to a dream start, making six birdies in the first nine holes, five in a row, quickly moving to the top of the leaderboard. Despite a double bogey on the tenth hole, he steadied with birdies on 14 and 17 and finished with an eagle on the final hole, sharing the lead at -7 with Spain’s Alejandro Del Rey, who posted a flawless round with seven birdies and no bogeys.
In close pursuit is Nicolai von Dellingshausen. After a strong front nine with birdies on holes 3, 4, 6, and 7 and an eagle on the 9th, he was at -5. Although he bogeyed the 11th, he bounced back with birdies on the 13th and 18th to finish at -6, putting him in a strong position for the second round thanks to his precise approach shots.
Other DACH Players Show Mixed Results
Marcel Schneider lies in the middle of the pack after round one, scoring five birdies but also two bogeys and a double bogey for a total of -1. Notably, he was strong on par-3s, birdieing three of four.
Joel Girrbach of Switzerland finished at -2 after a solid round including birdies on holes 15, 16, and 18 despite some bogeys on the back nine.
Marcel Siem experienced ups and downs: after bogeys on 4 and 5, he came close to a hole-in-one on 7, birdied 7 and 9, but ended at +2.
Bernd Wiesberger and Maximilian Steinlechner are further back at +3 after rounds with birdies and bogeys.
Title Defense and Notable Storylines
Last year’s champion Laurie Canter is on track to defend his title, posting a -6 with seven birdies and only one bogey, keeping him within striking distance of the lead.
Patrick Reed made headlines by announcing he won’t return to LIV Golf but plans a PGA Tour comeback in summer 2026. His round was mixed with five birdies and four bogeys, finishing at -1.
Due to interruptions, not all players have completed their first rounds.