The DP World Tour kicks off a new tournament week with the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship. Two Germans move up the leaderboard on day one.
The DP World Tour Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship has started at the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain. Two German players stood out against the 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 to the first day, making an early statement. The German recorded six birdies in his first nine holes, including five in a row, quickly moving to the top of the leaderboard. A double bogey on his tenth hole briefly slowed his momentum, but Schott remained unfazed: birdies on the 14th and 17th and only one more bogey put him back on track. He finished with an eagle on the last hole to share the lead at -7 alongside 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 featuring birdies on holes 3, 4, 6, and 7 and an eagle on 9—with a perfect approach to within inches of the flagstick—he already stood at -5. Although he bogeyed the 11th hole, he responded with additional birdies on 13 and 18. He goes into the second day in a promising chasing position at -6, thanks mostly to his precise approaches.
Other DACH Players Show Mixed Results
Marcel Schneider is positioned mid-field after the first round. His fluctuating performance included five birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey, finishing at -1. Notably, he excelled on the par-3 holes, birdying three of the four.
Joel Girrbach from Switzerland finished with -2. He started solidly with one birdie and eight pars but dropped two bogeys on the back nine. He 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 7, where he also made a birdie on 9, heading to the back nine at even par. However, two early bogeys on the final nine and a birdie on 14, followed by another bogey, meant he ended the day at +2.
Bernd Wiesberger and Maximilian Steinlechner each carded three birdies and six bogeys, finishing at +3 and placing them in the lower third of the field.
Defending Champion Off to a Strong Start
Defending champion Laurie Canter is on course to defend his title. The Englishman made three birdies on the front nine and added four more on the back nine. With only one bogey, his -6 keeps him within striking distance of the lead.
Notable also was last week’s winner Patrick Reed,