The tournament, which will be held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, will mark the DP World Tour’s first visit to the Kingdom since 2011 and forms part of the International Swing on the 2024 Race to Dubai.

Former Ryder Cup Captain Bjørn, who is Denmark’s most successful golfer of all-time with 15 DP World Tour wins to his name, will return to the Kingdom for the first time in 13 years, since he finished in a tie for 44th at the Volvo Golf Champions.

“I am looking forward to returning to Bahrain in February and seeing how the country has changed since my last visit almost 13 years ago,” said Bjørn, who has twice enjoyed success here in the Middle East with victories in the 2001 Dubai Desert Classic and the 2011 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

“The beauty of the DP World Tour is we get to visit so many interesting places and help bring golf to new audiences, and I am thrilled to help to achieve that with the Bahrain Championship.

“I would like to thank His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for welcoming us to his Kingdom and I can’t wait to visit early next year.”

With just over 50 days to go until the eagerly-anticipated event, which has a prize fund of US$2.5 million, the Royal Golf Club course has undergone extensive upgrades, supported by Osool Asset Management and Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat), the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain, headed by His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.

Among the key enhancements is the upgrading of a number of greens on the front nine to ensure it is in prime condition to welcome the elite stars of the DP World Tour.

Freddie Schmeisser, Championship Director of the Bahrain Championship, said: “We are looking forward to returning to the Kingdom of Bahrain next year as part of the DP World Tour’s International Swing and excitement is now building and Thomas committing to play.

“Royal Golf Club is a fitting venue for the Bahrain Championship and will be a great day out for all the family, with world class golf and a host of off-course activities.”

The Bahrain Championship will be one of four events in the Middle East as part of the new International Swing on the revamped 2024 Race to Dubai.

The tournament follows the inaugural Dubai Invitational, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the first Rolex Series event of the season, and the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

There are five Global Swings in the first part of the season, with the International Swing running from January to March. Each Swing will have its own identity and its own Champion who will each earn $200,000 from an overall $1million Bonus Pool. Swing Champions will also qualify for each of the ‘Back 9’ events later in the season.

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On the clubs annual ‘Captain’s Day’, Abdulla Al Khalifa and Lauga Sigfusdottir were unveiled as the Mens and Ladies Captains respectively.

Congratulations are also in order to James Blackwell who took home first place on the Captain’s Day with a score of 42 stableford points.

With that victory, James also secures himself a spot in the DP World Tour’s Bahrain Championship Pro-Am which is being held at Royal Golf Club in the Kingdom of Bahrain on the week commencing January 29th 2024.

The DP World Tour will be making it’s return to the Kingdom of Bahrain for the first time in 13 years.

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The DP World Tour has marked its long-awaited return to Bahrain with a special signing ceremony in the Kingdom.

The tour is set to return to the Middle East nation for the first time in 13 years with the Bahrain Championship scheduled to take place at Royal Golf Club from February 1-4, 2024.

The announcement of the tournament, which will be held under the patronage of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, was marked by a signing ceremony by Sheikh Khaled bin Hamad Al Khalifa alongside DP World Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley.

“We are pleased to host the Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” said Sheikh Khaled. “This championship, which forms part of what is an elite professional golf tournament series, is organised in cooperation between the Royal Golf Club, the General Sports Authority, the Bahrain Olympic Committee, and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority.

“Golf is a sport that receives major support and sponsorship from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of the Kingdom of Bahrain. His Majesty is a passionate practitioner and enthusiast of this sport, which reflects His Majesty’s great interest in and support for sports and athletes. His Majesty is the foremost athlete in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

“We take pride in hosting this international championship, where a constellation of professional players will compete at the Royal Golf Club. Organising this event is part of our continued commitment to supporting various sports, including golf, which is one of the most important sports at the global level. We have full confidence in the success of this championship, thanks to the cooperation and integration between various civil and governmental entities in presenting it in the best possible manner.

“Through embracing this championship, we aim to elevate Bahrain’s position and showcase its capabilities in hosting sporting events. We also want to emphasise our commitment to the development of golf in the Kingdom. We wish all participants continued success and prosperity.”

Faris Mustafa Al Kooheji, Secretary General of Bahrain Olympic Committee, added: “We are thrilled to welcome back the DP World Tour to Bahrain. Golf is a game, not only of great skill, but one which showcases the highest levels of sportsmanship, fairness and etiquette and one which the Kingdom is proud to support and encourage. Through hosting the Bahrain Championship and welcoming some of the best golfers in the world, we are underlining our commitment to this wonderful sport.”

An initiative has been put in place between the Bahrain Olympic Committee and the DP World Tour which will see local golfers awarded spots to compete in the tournament, with a minimum of two places reserved for Bahraini players. Two amateur spots will be up for grabs at the Bahrain Amateur Open, taking place from October 12-14. The overall winner plus a spot for the leading Bahraini amateur will be awarded. Additionally, the leading Bahraini as well as the winner of the King Hamad Trophy, played November 23-25, will tee it up alongside the DP World Tour professionals in the Bahrain Championship.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, said: “I would firstly like to thank His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Hamad Al Khalifa for welcoming us to the Kingdom of Bahrain as we launch a new event on our International Schedule.

“The Bahrain Championship will mark the DP World Tour’s return to the Kingdom of Bahrain for the first time since 2011 and helps form part of our International Swing of events.

“We are excited to return to Bahrain in February as we continue to showcase our diverse array of tournaments in different countries and cultures across the world.”

The event, which has a prize fund of $2.5 million, takes place at the Royal Golf Club, where the course has undergone extensive upgrades, with a number of greens on the front nine having been redesigned, to ensure it is in prime condition to welcome the stars of the DP World Tour.

“We are delighted to have been chosen as the host venue for the DP World Tour’s visit in 2024,” said Waleed Al Alawi, Chairman of the Royal Golf Club. “This tournament will shine a spotlight on Bahrain’s sports scene and will further establish the Royal Golf Club as a leading golfing destination in the region. We are excited to welcome the world’s top golfers to our esteemed club and showcase the beauty of our country.”

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