Bahrain Championship

For the second year on the trot we head to the Royal GC in Bahrain with last year being the first occasion the course has hosted a DPWT event since 2011.

Paul Casey won the Volvo Golf Champions event that week and it's interesting to note he also went on to win the Irish Open at Carton House, another Montgomerie design so therein may lie a clue as to who could perform well in Bahrain this week.

The Dutch course that held the 2016 and 2017 KLM Opens is worthy of looking back to as are the numerous editions of the Turkish Airlines Open held at Maxx Royal, both Montgomerie designs.

Luiten who won the 2016 KLM Open also finished 2nd at Carton House so previous Montgomerie designed form is certainly worth considering.

Overall it looks like a desert track with a links feel not too dissimilar to last week at Ras and a similar game looks to translate to both courses.

Numerous contenders in Bahrain last year had gone well in Ras the week before and with focus once again on long driving a glance to last weeks leaderboard may prove fruitful.

The Laguna golf course that has held the Singapore Classic is another track which has aligned itself with this one in terms of form. 

Bahrain Championship Tips

 

Below is a look at the stats of the top performers in last year's edition of this tournament.

Sam Bairstow at 60/1 (Seven Places)

It looks like an event to go with the obvious clues hitting us straight in the face and for that reason it's hard to turn down Sam Bairstow.

Bairstow was 4th in the Singapore Classic last year at the Laguna golf course, a track which has thrown up many clues as to who may perform here, or indeed at Al Hamra.

With so many with solid form across two or three of these courses they seem very well linked and Bairstow has form at all three.

Last week he was 16th to go alongside his 23rd placed finish the year before.

Here at Bahrain he was lying 4th with one round to go before falling to a final round of 75.

That was one of his first times in contention on the main tour though so that finish can be forgiven.

He has gone close since, notably a runner up finish at the Open De France. Everything points towards another solid effort here and anything 50/1+ is worth taking. 

1pt each-way S.Bairstow  60/1  (1/5 7)

Ugo Coussaud at 60/1 (Six Places)

Ugo Coussaud is a strong hitter off the tee and must enter the equation here this week in Bahrain.

Last year he was 12th at this event and backed it up with a runner up finish in Qatar the following week.

That already creates a good profile for someone who can overpower a track such as this and is comfortable in the conditions.

6th at Yas Links in Abu Dhabi just two months ago is another string to his bow for courses such as this, even more so that effort was achieved in a much stronger field.

As was his 7th at Wentworth in the Autumn. 16th last week in Ras was a fair effort which means two from two there and 37th at Laguna in Singapore last year may look ordinary, but it's worth noting he shot the second lowest score in round one.

1pt each-way U.Coussaud  60/1  (1/5 6) Unibet, Livescore, Bet MGM

Scott Jamieson at 80/1 (Seven Places)

Scott Jamieson is another worth considering given his form on the right courses over the last year or so.

He was 16th here in Bahrain last year before finishing 3rd in Qatar, with Qatar notorious for good wind players.

A solid effort in the Dunhill Links late on in the year was followed by a top ten in Mauritius, another course exposed to the elements.

8th last week in Ras was a fine effort given a somewhat slow start and the eye is drawn to a top 25 at Laguna back in 2023.

Add in another top ten finish at Al Hamra as well as top tens on both Montgomerie layouts in Turkey and Holland and we have someone who is quite dangerous on these golf courses.

Having hit some form last week he is a tasty looking price and any small improvement with his irons could see him go close.

1pt each-way S.Jamieson  80/1  (1/5 7) Betway

Joe Dean at 70/1 (Six Places)

It took a month or so for Joe Dean to gather himself for his first attempt on the DPWT last year but it didn't take him long to go close to winning when he finished runner up in Kenya last February.

Belgium and Denmark granted another couple of top 5 finishes whilst it was heartache in the KLM Open when he was edged out in a playoff.

His rookie season was a huge success though going all the way to the DPWTC in Dubai. His irons were a little cold in Dubai in January but he clicked back into gear last week at Al Hamra eventually finishing 5th.

The Englishman hits a long enough ball to contend here and has learned a lot in a short space of time.

Surely getting towards the time where he may be confident in getting over the line the next time he's in contention. 

1pt each-way J.Dean  70/1  (1/5 6) Unibet, Livescore, Bet MGM

Kiradech Aphibarnrat at 125/1 (Seven Places)

One I'm happy to risk at triple figure odds is Kiradech Aphibarnrat. At 35 years old the Barnrat still has plenty of golf left in him and if he can reach previous heights then more wins can not be ruled out.

He bounced back to some form in a strong enough field in the Australian Open back in December finishing 5th there alongside Lucas Herbert and Joaquin Niemann.

He wasn't a million miles off in Dubai a few weeks ago finishing 52nd doing nothing spectacular but solid enough golf.

It was more of the same last week when finishing 8th in Ras and any small improvement with his approach play could help him figure once again.

Previous form on Montgomerie designs are also a positive as he finished 3rd in the Turkish Airlines Open back in 2015 and led after three rounds of the KLM Open at the Dutch course back in 2017.

Last year's Singapore Classic is another worthy of note with Svensson overcoming Aphibarnrat in a playoff.

Svensson was runner up here last year, with Casey (2011 winner on this course) also making the frame in Singapore.

Del Rey was 7th in Singapore last year so together these three courses make for interesting reading and Aphibarnrat is one of the more interesting ones at 125/1. 

0.75pt each-way K.Aphibarnrat  125/1  (1/5 7) Paddypower