GOLF – Former Masters champion Patrick Reed of the US is looking forward to teeing it up at this year’s Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship – marking his debut participation in the kingdom’s highly anticipated DP World Tour event.
The prestigious competition is scheduled to take place at The Royal Golf Club from January 30 to February 2.
Reed will be part of a star-studded cast of world-class golfers, including defending champion Dylan Frittelli, fellow-Major champions Padraig Harrington and Jimmy Walker, DP World Tour winners Thorbjorn Olesen and Jorge Campillo, and John Parry, Johannes Veerman, and Elvis Smylie, who are amongst the top five in the current Race to Dubai Rankings.
“I’ve never played The Royal Golf Club, but I’ve heard a little bit about the place as my brother-in-law’s cousin lives in Bahrain,” said Reed, who was the champion of the 2018 Masters Tournament.
“We’ll spend some time out there, and it will be my first time, so I am looking forward to it.”
Bahrain will be the third stop in the Middle East for Reed in this season’s DP World Tour, having played last week in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club, where he finished tied-10th, while also competing this week, starting tomorrow, in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship at Al Hamra Golf Club.
“I love coming back over to the DP World Tour to play,” noted the 34-year-old. “To have the opportunity to come over and play more often means a lot to me.
“What better way to start off than going to a place I played well at two years ago (Hero Dubai Desert Classic) and then played well again on Sunday last week, to just get myself in form for the season.”
The three regional events are part of the International Swing on the DP World Tour’s 2025 calendar, offering Reed new experiences he enjoys.
“I love coming over to this part of the world and experiencing everything, not just the culture but the food and golf courses, as they are so different,” said Reed, who was invited to the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on Monday but could not attend due to his regional commitments.
“Last week, we were an hour’s drive from Ras Al Khaimah, and Al Hamra Golf Club is completely different from Emirates Golf Club in Dubai,” he added. “You wouldn’t even think you’re near the same area – I think that’s what’s awesome about the Middle East.
“You have everything from desert golf to golf on the water with an ocean breeze. It’s definitely fun coming over to the region to play and seeing these different places and seeing how your game travels at different levels.”
Last season, the DP World Tour returned to Bahrain for the first time since 2011, and in 2025, the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship continues the International Swing on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai.
Bapco Energies, the integrated energy company leading the energy transition in the kingdom, is the title sponsor.
Fans can now secure free general admission tickets to the event on platinumlist.net.
Frittelli won last year’s edition in Bahrain. The first time the kingdom hosted a DP World Tour event was in 2011 with the Volvo Golf Champions.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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