Alex Fitzpatrick and Yannik Paul are excited by the prospect of testing their game on a new stage as the DP World Tour makes a long-awaited return to the Kingdom of Bahrain this week.
Both players are looking to build on encouraging starts to their Race to Dubai campaigns, with the Royal Golf Club playing host to the Bahrain Championship presented by Bapco Energies.
While the duo both have experience of playing in the Middle East this will be a different challenge for them, with neither having turned professional when the Tour last visited Bahrain in 2011.
“First time here in Bahrain so it is nice to experience new things,” said Fitzpatrick, who is in his rookie season on the DP World Tour.
“It is hopefully going to be a good week. I did a little bit of research before I came. It looks a great course.
"I am excited to go out there, different challenges every week with the course styles and grass."
Paul, who is chasing his second DP World Tour title, is impressed by what he has seen from the course, which has undergone renovation since it hosted the 2011 Volvo Champions on the DP World Tour.
"I think it will be a great test," he said "[The course] is in really good shape.
"I live in Arizona so I am used to desert golf and this is nice.
"I like when it is really green and then you have the rough and then the desert so the contrast looks really good. It is an interesting course."
Significant changes have been made to the green structures, resulting in precision with approach play to undulating putting surfaces.
Paul, who has two top tens in his first three starts of the year, added: "I think it is supposed to get quite windy which will make it even trickier because the fairways aren’t super wide and the rough as you can see is super thick.
"I think it will be key to hit fairways because then you can be aggressive and hit the right slopes and areas on the greens.
"I have got to drive it well and then hit the right sections on the greens."
'I have a lot of people challenging me to get better every day'
Fitzpatrick earned his playing privileges for 2024 through a combination of the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca and strong performances in limited starts on the DP World Tour, including a tie for 17th in The Open at Royal Liverpool.
Across his first four starts with full DP World Tour playing privileges, the Englishman has finished in the top 20 on each occasion and he is now striving to mount a title challenge.
"My game is getting more consistent which is great," said Fitzpatrick ahead of the fourth leg of the International Swing.
"Obviously I am still looking for the top 10s and top fives and other things. That is the ideal scenario.
"I am very lucky. I have a great team around me, a lot of people pushing me and challenging me to get better every day.
"That is what it is all about in my opinion. I am just going to keep pushing forward, keep working hard and hopefully the results will come."
