The DP World Tour kicks off a new week with the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship. Two Germans shine on the opening day.
The DP World Tour Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship has begun. At the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain, two German players stood out against the international field on the first day.
Schott and Von Dellingshausen Lead at the DP World Tour
Freddy Schott had a dream start and quickly made his mark, scoring 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 hole slowed his momentum briefly, but he recovered with birdies on 14 and 17 and finished with an eagle on the final hole. Schott shares the lead at -7 with Spaniard Alejandro Del Rey, who played 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 9 — following a near-perfect approach shot — he was already at -5. Despite a bogey on 11, he responded with birdies on 13 and 18 to finish at -6, keeping him in a promising position for the second day. His precise approach shots contributed to several birdies.
Mixed Results for Other DACH Players
Marcel Schneider sits in the middle of the field after round one with a score of -1, marked by five birdies, two bogeys, and one double bogey. He showed particular strength on par-3 holes, carding birdies on three of the four.
Joel Girrbach of Switzerland finished at -2. He started solidly with a birdie and eight pars, then faced two bogeys on the back nine but regained ground with birdies on holes 15, 16, and 18, finishing under par.
Marcel Siem experienced ups and downs. After bogeys on 4 and 5 and nearly achieving a hole-in-one on 7, he made birdies on 7 and 9, reaching even par for the front nine. The back nine saw two early bogeys, a birdie on 14, and another bogey to close at +2 for the day.
Bernd Wiesberger and Maximilian Steinlechner each posted three birdies and six bogeys, finishing at +3 in the lower third of the field.
Defending Champion on Track, Reed Announces PGA Tour Return
Defending champion Laurie Canter is on course to defend his title, shooting three birdies on the front nine and adding four more on the back nine, finishing at -6 and close to the lead.
Patrick Reed, last week’s winner, made headlines by announcing he will not return to LIV Golf but will instead make his comeback to the PGA Tour in summer 2026. On the course, Reed had a mixed round with five birdies and four bogeys, placing him at -1 in the middle of the pack