The DP World Tour begins a new tournament week with the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship. Two Germans advance to the top after 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 an international field on the first day.
Schott Takes the Lead on the DP World Tour, Von Dellingshausen Close Behind
Freddy Schott had a dream start on day one, making six birdies in his first nine holes, including five in a row, quickly moving to the top of the leaderboard. A double bogey on the tenth briefly slowed him down, but he bounced back with birdies on the 14th and 17th holes and only one more bogey. He capped his round with an eagle on the final hole, sharing the lead at -7 alongside Spaniard Alejandro Del Rey, who played a flawless round with seven birdies and no bogeys.
Nicolai von Dellingshausen is in pursuit after strong front nine performance, including birdies on holes 3, 4, 6, and 7 and an eagle on 9. He stood at -5 before a bogey on 11 but responded with birdies on 13 and 18 to finish day one at -6, staying in close contention thanks to his precise approach shots.
Mixed Results for Other DACH Players
Marcel Schneider sits in the middle of the pack after round one with a score of -1, featuring five birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey. His performance on par-3 holes was notable with birdies on three out of four such holes.
Joel Girrbach from Switzerland posted a -2 round, starting solidly with a birdie and eight pars, then recovering from two bogeys on the back nine with birdies on holes 15, 16, and 18 to finish under par.
Marcel Siem experienced ups and downs, narrowly missing a hole-in-one on the 7th and ending the day at +2 after a mix of birdies and bogeys throughout the round.
Bernd Wiesberger and Maximilian Steinlechner both finished at +3, positioned toward the back of the field after each carded three birdies and six bogeys.
Defending Champion Kicks Off Title Defense Strongly
Last year’s winner Laurie Canter is on track to defend his title, posting a -6 round with seven birdies and just one bogey, staying close to the top of the leaderboard.
Notably, recent winner Patrick Reed announced before the tournament that he would not return to LIV Golf but plans a PGA Tour comeback in summer 2026. He had a mixed round with five birdies and four bogeys, placing him in the middle of the field at -1.
Due to interruptions on the first day, some players have yet to complete their opening round.