Jesper Svensson and Zander Lombard shared second and Ockie Strydom finished tied-fourth with Frederic Lacorix; Dylan Frittelli celebrates first worldwide since PGA Tour's 2019 John Deere Classic and first on DP World Tour since 2017
Sunday 4 February 2024 14:40, UK
Dylan Frittelli ended a six-year DP World Tour winless run and claimed a first worldwide title since 2019 by registering a two-shot win at the Bahrain Championship.
Frittelli saw his two-shot overnight advantage disappear during an entertaining final day at Royal Golf Club, where he recovered from playing his first 12 holes in two over to birdie three of his next four and post a one-under 71.
The 33-year-old is taking advantage of a new exemption category on the DP World Tour, where five players per event who finished between 126th and 200th on the 2023 FedExCup rankings get to compete, with Frittelli's win his first on any tour since the 2019 John Deere Classic.
Frittelli finished two clear of compatriot Zander Lombard and Sweden's Jesper Svensson, who carded rounds of 70 and 68 respectively to share second, with South Africa's Ockie Strydom in tied-fourth on nine under with France's Frederic Lacroix.
"It's been a long road the last five or six years since I left the DP World Tour and went to the States," Frittelli said. "Pretty tough year last year but feels awesome to be back on top right now."
Frittelli started with six consecutive pars then three-putted from long range at the par-three seventh, with the South African then failing to get up and from off the 12th green and dropping another shot.
The world No 434 reclaimed control of the tournament when he followed a seven-foot birdie at the 13th by two-putting from 30 feet to take advantage of the par-five next, with Frittelli then extending his advantage by holing a 40-foot birdie at the par-three 16th.
Frittelli negotiated a tricky two-putt at the 17th to retain a two-shot cushion into the par-four last, where a par was enough to secure a third DP World Tour victory.
His previous wins were the 2016 Lyoness Open and the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open a year later, but has struggled in recent years and missed the cut in 20 of his 31 worldwide starts in 2023.
"Last year there were a couple of points where I thought about giving the game up to be honest and looking for something else," Frittelli added. "I found some resolve at the end of last year and put in some good work with my physios, my coaches and trainers. I'm glad I just persevered."
Svensson carded four birdies and two bogeys in a final-round 70, his second runner-up finish of the season, while Lombard charged up the leaderboard with a four-under 68 and Strydom slipped out of contention with a back-nine 39.
The DP World Tour stays in the Middle East for the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, held at Doha Golf Club. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 9am on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and more on NOW.
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