Successful start for Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen on the DP World Tour. Other German players also feature prominently after round one in Dubai.
Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen Impress at Dubai Kickoff
The opening shot has been fired for the DP World Tour Hero Dubai Desert Classic 2026 at the Emirates Golf Club. Although the round was interrupted shortly before the end, the DACH players can already be considered to have had a mostly successful start.
Foremost, Joel Girrbach showed strong early form. The Swiss was the first on the course and remained unfazed by a bogey at the very start, playing error-free thereafter. Birdies on holes 3 and 6 brought him back to even par before the turn. On the back nine, Girrbach impressed further: a perfect second shot on the par 5 gave him an eagle chance which he coolly converted. Without further mistakes, he carded a 68 (-4) to finish round one in an excellent fourth place.
Directly behind, Nicolai von Dellingshausen also made a convincing impression. After a modest start with +1 after nine holes, the German picked up pace on the back nine. Birdies on holes 10, 12, 13, and 16 reflected strong approach shots and solid putting. Ending with a total of five birdies and a 69 (-3), he stays within striking distance of the leaders and currently sits inside the top 10.
Leading the field is Italian Francesco Molinari, who produced an almost flawless opening round to lead at -7. Four birdies on both the front and back nine and just one bogey on hole 12 earned him the early lead. Ahead of Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen are also Mikael Lindberg (-5) and JC Ritchie (-4).
Other German Players Hold Solid Positions on DP World Tour
Marcel Schneider had a mixed day. Four birdies brought momentum several times, but three bogeys kept him from a higher position. With a score of -1 after round one, he remains well poised for the coming days.
Freddy Schott also finished at -1. Despite a strong six birdies effort, five bogeys, including two after bunker shots plus penalty strokes on holes 12 and 18, prevented a lower score.
Marcel Siem began on the back nine and showed flashes of his class. A chip-in birdie on 16 and a well-executed birdie on 5 from the trees were highlights. Despite several bogeys, he fought back and finished even par thanks to a birdie on the final hole.
Perfection from Marcel Siem 💯#HeroDubaiDesertClassic |