The DP World Tour kicks off a new week with the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship as two Germans advance to the top on the first day.
The DP World Tour Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship has begun. At the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain, two Germans stood out from the international field on day one.
Schott Leads DP World Tour with Von Dellingshausen Close Behind
Freddy Schott had a dream start on the opening day, quickly marking his presence with six birdies in his first nine holes, five in a row, propelling him to the top of the leaderboard. A double bogey on the tenth hole temporarily slowed his momentum, but Schott remained unfazed, adding birdies on the 14th and 17th holes with just one more bogey. He capped off his round with an eagle on the final hole to share the lead at -7 alongside Spaniard Alejandro Del Rey, who completed a flawless round with seven birdies and no bogeys.
In pursuit is Nicolai von Dellingshausen, who posted an impressive front nine including birdies on holes 3, 4, 6, and 7 and an eagle on the 9th after an almost perfect approach close to the pin. He reached -5 early and despite a bogey on the 11th, bounced back with birdies on the 13th and 18th to finish at -6, well positioned for day two thanks to his precise greens approach.
Other DACH Players Show Mixed Results
Marcel Schneider sits in the mid-field after round one with a round including five birdies balanced by two bogeys and a double bogey for a -1 total. Notably, he excelled on the par-3 holes, scoring birdies on three of the four.
Joel Girrbach from Switzerland finished at -2, starting solidly with a birdie followed by eight pars, though he dropped two bogeys on the back nine but recovered with birdies on holes 15, 16, and 18 to secure his under-par round.
Marcel Siem experienced ups and downs; after bogeys on 4 and 5, he narrowly missed a hole-in-one on the 7th, making birdies on 7 and 9 to reach even par at the turn. However, two early bogeys on the back nine and another later bogey limited his comeback, ending day one at +2.
Bernd Wiesberger and Maximilian Steinlechner both hold a +3 score with three birdies and six bogeys each, placing them in the lower third of the field.
Defending Champion Off to a Strong Start
Last year’s champion Laurie Canter is on track to defend his title. The Englishman birdied three holes on the front nine and added four more on the back nine with just one bogey, sitting at -6 and close to the lead.
Generating headlines was recent winner Patrick Reed, who announced before the tournament that he will not return to LIV Golf but plans a PGA Tour comeback in summer 2026. Reed