The DP World Tour's International Swing is in full flow and it's the turn of the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship to take centre stage.
Event eight of the 2024-2025 campaign marks the third tournament of the International Swing and each player's latest opportunity to change their careers via a vitally important victory.
Hosted by Royal Golf Club, the Bahrain Championship only took place for the first time in 2024 and was won by Dylan Frittelli. He is back to defend his crown while over 150 others - including Patrick Reed, David Puig, and Padraig Harrington - hope to succeed the South African.
The prize money payout and Race To Dubai points remain identical to last week's Ras Al Khaimah Championship, so there is plenty to play for over the coming days.
Below, the Golf Monthly news team has selected a favorite and outside pick for this week's Bahrain Championship while the odds for many of the top players can also be checked out.
Bahrain Championship Course: Royal Golf Club
The Montgomerie Course at Royal Golf Club was designed by none other than Colin Montgomerie and built between 2007 and 2009 on the site of the old Riffa golf course. Three years later, it welcomed the DP World Tour for the one and only Volvo Golf Champions, won by Paul Casey.
In 2025, the 18-hole par-72 layout will measure 7,302 yards and represents a thoroughly difficult test, even for tour pros.
Last year's winning score was only -13 thanks to a combination of the perilous desert waste areas, lurking lagoons and devilish pin placements. All of those features will exist again this time, with the final four holes in particular protected by imposing man-made lakes.
And should rounds take longer than anticipated, state-of-the-art floodlights along the back nine of the Montgomerie Course could well come into play.
BAHRAIN CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIOUS WINNERS
BAHRAIN CHAMPIONSHIP BETTING ODDS
The odds to win outright are via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Patrick Reed (+1400)
- Thorbjorn Olesen (+1400)
- David Puig (+1600)
- Johannes Veerman (+2200)
- Laurie Canter (+2200)
- Keita Nakajima (+2800)
- Jordan Smith (+2800)
- Matthew Jordan (+3300)
- Guido Migliozzi (+3500)
- Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (+3500)
- Sebastian Soderberg (+3500)
- Julien Guerrier (+4000)
- Daniel Hillier (+4000)
- Angel Ayora (+4000)
- Ewen Ferguson (+4500)
- Romain Langasque (+5000)
- Alex Fitzpatrick (+5000)
- Wenyi Ding (+5500)
- Andy Sullivan (+5500)
- Brandon Stone (+5500)
- David Micheluzzi (+5500)
- All other players priced at +6000 or higher
BAHRAIN CHAMPIONSHIP BETTING PICKS
FAVORITE: David Puig (+1600)
The LIV Golf youngster shot the lowest round of the day on Sunday in Ras Al Khaimah to vault up to third place in his first start of 2025.
The Spaniard is now 87th in the world and another good week in Bahrain will go a long way to cementing his place in the 2025 PGA Championship on merit. Puig is already a two-time Asian Tour winner and looks ready to bag a DP World Tour title.
OUTSIDER: Ugo Coussaud (+6500)
The Frenchman represents good value this week after three consecutive under par rounds at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship. Coussaud opened with a relatively poor 73 but worked his way back up to T16th to give him some good vibes heading into Bahrain.
Last year’s runner-up at the Qatar Masters was T12th in Bahrain last time out so hopefully can go on and contend even higher up the leaderboard this time around.
FAVORITE: Laurie Canter (+2200)
The Englishman is enjoying a great run of form at the moment, with Canter finishing solo third in his last event at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Throughout the tournament, he looked calm and measured and, at the end of the final round he held his nerve superbly.
Although he hasn't played this tournament before, his game should suit Royal GC, which isn't the longest course by any stretch. Looking at his stats, Canter is a very accurate player off the tee and hits plenty of greens. If he can get the putter working, which he has done in the last few events, I expect him to produce another fine result.
OUTSIDER: Casey Jarvis (+11000)
In his last 10 events, Jarvis has missed just one cut, with the young South African carding three top-10s at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, Blue Label Challenge and the Genesis Championship.
Admittedly, he did miss the cut here last year, but with some good form under his belt, I fancy Jarvis to perform better this time around. Certainly, the 21-year-old possesses a great all-round short game and, if he can get the driver going, he may well contend at what is a rather large price for a player of his calibre.
FAVORITE: Laurie Canter (+2200)
Following an encouraging end to 2024, Canter has begun the new year really nicely and turned in a third place at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic just days after performing a starring role for GB&I at the Team Cup.
Like a lot of players, a well-behaved putter is likely to result in a successful week. But Canter's approach game is so good that it gives him some breathing room if not. Hopefully nice and refreshed after a week off, I expect Canter to contend come Sunday.
OUTSIDER: Joe Dean (+7500)
Joe Dean is coming into this event off the back of a T5th at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, generated via some really consistent play all around. With similar conditions set to occur this week, it seems reasonable to assume he is capable of repeating similar success.
Plus, the Englishman - who has almost completed a full year on tour after his breakthrough in Kenya last season - has proved that this sort of course (one with a premium on accuracy) plays to his strengths, so another top-10 might well be on the cards.
HOW TO WATCH BAHRAIN CHAMPIONSHIP
USA (ET)
- Thursday, January 30 - Round One: 3:30am - 8:30am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports app)
- Friday, January 31 - Round Two: 3:30am - 8:30am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports app)
- Saturday, February 1 - Round Three: 4:00am - 8:30am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports app)
- Sunday, February 2 - Round Four: 3:30am - 8:30am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports app)
UK (GMT)
- Thursday, January 30 - Round One: 8:30am - 1:30pm (Sky Sports Golf)
- Friday, January 31 - Round Two: 8:30am - 1:30pm (Sky Sports Golf)
- Saturday, February 1 - Round Three: 9:00am - 1:30pm (Sky Sports Golf)
- Sunday, February 2 - Round Four: 8:30am - 1:30pm (Sky Sports Golf)
