GOLF – THE Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship is getting “bigger and better” each year, with the 2026 event attracting a record crowd, according to a top official.
Outgoing DP World Tour Middle East director Tom Phillips announced yesterday that attendance for this year’s golf spectacle was up by 30 per cent as compared to 2025, when the event brought in 10,237 fans to Royal Golf Club.
Prior to this year’s tournament, organisers revealed that they were targeting a 15 per cent surge in turnout across the four days, but have surpassed that mark with 13,186 enjoying the wide array of activities both on and off the course.
“It’s been a wonderful week,” Phillips told the GDN last night after the awarding ceremony, where he was on hand as His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, presented the magnificent champion’s trophy shaped after a traditional Bahraini dhow to German Freddy Schott to wrap up a drama-filled final day in the competition.
“Each year, this event gets bigger and better and the fact that our crowds are 30 per cent up on last year is a testament to how much it is growing,” added Phillips, who is leaving the DP World Tour to take charge of the Ladies European Tour as CEO, effective this April.
Phillips highlighted that the 10-year agreement signed between the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) and the DP World Tour to keep the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour calendar until at least 2036 will enhance the event even further.
“Our 10-year agreement with the BOC is a great testament to the vision of His Majesty the King, the leadership, and the BOC, and with that commitment, we can start to really plan for the future – build, invest, and continue to make it bigger and better each and every year.”
Phillips congratulated Schott on his incredible victory yesterday, which he secured at the second hole of a play-off with Scotland’s Calum Hill. American Patrick Reed was also part of the first play-off hole.
“It was a really exciting finish,” said Phillips. “We’ve had a play-off for the second year running, and it always adds to the excitement.
“I’m really pleased for Freddy – it’s his first win on the DP World Tour, but I’m sure there are many more to come.”
Meanwhile, Bapco Refining CEO Abdulrahman Jawahery announced yesterday that Bapco Energies will remain as the title sponsor of the Bahrain Championship until 2028.
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