Golf in 2025 felt like one long plot twist. Every time the season seemed to settle into a rhythm, someone barely pencilled into the top twenty went and won something big, while the usual headliners drifted in and out of form. Which is exactly why the Bahrain Championship suddenly matters to kick off the new year.
A young tournament trying to punch above its weight, not yet a Dubai or Abu Dhabi, but increasingly a proving ground for DP World Tour talent and a warm‑up for stars drifting through the Middle East.
The formerly European Tour returned to Bahrain for the first time in 13 years in 2024 at the Colin Montgomerie‑designed Royal Golf Club, and now the event enters its third year with a field profile that sits in the sweet spot between opportunity and ambition.

A Tournament Finding Its Identity

The first two editions set the tone for what this event actually is: a proving ground for hungry, high‑calibre players rather than a playground for global superstars, which is why it’s proving so popular in gambling sites for unpredictability.
Dylan Frittelli claimed the inaugural title in 2024, winning by two shots and reminding everyone that DP World Tour depth runs far deeper than the casual fan realises.
A year later, Laurie Canter emerged from a three‑way playoff at 14‑under, the kind of gritty, competitive finish that signals a tournament capable of producing proper drama even without a marquee‑heavy field.
Those winners tell a story about the tournament's identity. You're not getting the Rorys or Rahms, but you are getting Ryder Cup‑adjacent talent, LIV players using the Middle East swing as a tune‑up, and DP World Tour regulars who can go low when conditions suit.
The purse sits around $2.5 million with standard Race to Dubai points, enough to stabilise a season and secure future starts. Royal GC's Montgomerie Course is a par‑72 desert layout with water, waste areas and wind. Winning scores have hovered in the mid‑teens under par. It's a proper test, not a birdie‑fest.
When a tournament acts as a launchpad rather than a coronation, the formbook gets looser and the middle tier becomes dangerous.|
You're dealing with players sharpening up after the off‑season, others chasing early Race to Dubai momentum, and a handful treating the event as a rare chance to cash in before the schedule stiffens.
Ahead of Bahrain’s start on Jan 29, here’s a look at some of the early challengers and their chances.

Laurie Canter (around 10/1)

The defending champion arrives as a 35‑year‑old late bloomer who's finally hitting his stride. His 2025 started with third at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, then a playoff win here in Bahrain for his second tour title.
At Royal GC he knows how to handle the wind and doesn't blink on the water‑guarded finish. Accurate driving, solid irons, and proven in desert conditions. If the putter cooperates, he's got a solid chance outright and strong each‑way appeal.

Rasmus Højgaard (around 9/1)

Danish prodigy Rasmus Højgaard has multiple DP World Tour wins already and the talent to dominate weeks like this.
The bookies clearly rate him, installing him near the top of the market, and his ball‑striking can overpower this field when it clicks.
The issue is whether he finds enough fairways when the wind picks up and whether the flat stick behaves. Peak Højgaard wins this comfortably. The question is which version shows up.

Patrick Reed

Patrick Reed mainly plays LIV these days but drops into DP World Tour events to chase ranking points.
The former Masters champion posted a top‑10 at Ras Al Khaimah last season and his short game thrives when conditions get tricky. Major championship pedigree and desert form make him a live candidate, but he's a volatile win play rather than a steady each‑way proposition. When Reed's on, he's dangerous.

David Puig

A young Spanish talent with multiple Asian Tour wins, David Puig is climbing toward the world's top 100.
He finished third at Ras Al Khaimah in his 2025 opener, firing the low Sunday round, and his aggressive style suits firm, fast layouts.
If he keeps it clean around the water coming home, he profiles as one of the likeliest breakthrough winners at a bigger price.

Thorbjørn Olesen

Thorbjørn Olesen arrives as a multi tour winner with Ryder Cup experience who peaks in the Middle East swing.
When Olesen's putting catches fire he looks like one of Europe's best closers, and he's proven he can convert when in contention on Sundays. If he brings any kind of form, he's one of the more trustworthy names to get the job done.

The Bahrain Championship is entering its third year with momentum, a solid field, and enough volatility in the market to make it worth watching closely. It's not the most glamorous stop on the calendar, but it's becoming one of the most interesting.