Successful start for Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen at the DP World Tour. Other German players also in contention after round one in Dubai.
Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen Impress in Dubai Opener
The DP World Tour Hero Dubai Desert Classic 2026 at Emirates Golf Club has officially begun. Although the round was interrupted briefly before the end, from the perspective of DACH players, it has been a predominantly successful start.
Joel Girrbach from Switzerland showed strong early form. He did not let an early bogey unsettle him and played flawlessly afterward. Birdies on holes 3 and 6 brought him back to Even Par before the turn. On the back nine, Girrbach impressed further with an eagle opportunity on the par-5, which he converted, finishing with a 68 (-4) to hold an excellent fourth place after round one.
Following closely, Nicolai von Dellingshausen from Germany also performed well. After a slow start and +1 after nine holes, he surged on the back nine with birdies on holes 10, 12, 13, and 16, totaling five birdies and a 69 (-3), placing him within striking distance of the leaders, currently in the top 10.
At the top of the leaderboard is Italian Francesco Molinari, who played a near flawless round with -7. Four birdies on each front and back nine and only one bogey at hole 12 gave him the early lead. Mikael Lindberg (-5) and JC Ritchie (-4) stand ahead of Girrbach and Von Dellingshausen.
More German Players in Good Positions on the DP World Tour
Marcel Schneider had a mixed day; four birdies provided momentum but three bogeys prevented a higher placement. He finished round one at -1, staying in strong contention for the coming days.
Freddy Schott also finished at -1, despite six birdies, as five bogeys, including two after bunker shots and penalty strokes on holes 12 and 18, impeded a lower score.
Marcel Siem started on the back nine and showed flashes of his class with a chip-in birdie on 16 and a well-played birdie on 5. Despite several bogeys, he finished even par thanks to a birdie on the final hole.
Perfection from Marcel Siem 💯#HeroDubaiDesertClassic | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/6GXkEcdL9M