Bahrain Championship 2026 FRL Tips: Three to go low on Thursday

The Bahrain Championship gets underway at Royal Golf Club on Thursday, where a stiff breeze in the afternoon could hand the first-round advantage to the early starters.

You can read Jamie's thoughts on the opening round and his three selections for the Bahrain Championship FRL Market here on Betfred Insights...

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You can read Jamie's full Bahrain Championship 2025 Betting Tips main preview here. 

Tomorrow’s forecast in Bahrain points to light winds of around 6-8mph for the morning wave, who begin at 6.30am, with sunshine and warm temperatures of around 20°C expected throughout the day. Conditions are set to become increasingly blustery as the round progresses, with winds rising to 10mph by the time the second wave starts at 11.00am and potentially reaching gusts of 20mph later in the afternoon.

With the morning starters appearing to have the better of the weather, I’m going to focus my attention on that side of the draw in an attempt to crack Thursday’s First-Round Leader (FRL) market.

You can bet on the event and check out all of the latest live Bahrain Championship Odds over on betfred.com

1.25 pts Wenyi Ding each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 35/1

Start time: 7.10am

Former No. 3 amateur Wenyi Ding enjoyed a promising debut season on the DP World Tour (DPWT), falling just short of reaching the playoffs in the UAE. He was in fine form at the end of the year, and having begun 2026 in similarly positive shape, this strong first-round performer can get off to a quick start tomorrow.

Ding’s rookie campaign resulted in just five missed cuts in 29 appearances. He picked up nine top-25s and hit the top 10 on two occasions, finishing 5^th in the Australian Open at the end of 2024, and 8^th in the China Open.

The Chinese youngster made a worthwhile trip to the Asian Tour at the end of 2025, finishing 3^rd in the Macao Open and 6^th in the Hong Kong Open. That level was maintained as he returned to the DPWT in Australia, finishing 2^nd in the Aussie PGA Championship and 18^th in the Aussie Open, before again impressing when 19^th last week.

He did his best work in the opening round in Dubai, firing a three-under 69 to sit 5^th after round one. This was no one-off, as he ranks 2^nd in this field in first-round performance over the last six months, shooting a seven-under 63 to take the FRL in Macao five starts ago, and he was 5^th on day one of the Aussie PGA. Going back even further, he also reached the top in the first round of the BMW International Open and Joburg Open.

Ding showed promise in Bahrain last year, beginning with a four-under 68 to finish Thursday in 10^th place, and having come on considerably since then, expect an even faster start this time around.

1 pt Ugo Coussaud each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 45/1

Start time: 7.40am

Ugo Coussaud has a great record in the Middle East, which includes a 12^th-place finish here on debut in 2024. He was solid on his return in Dubai and, ranked among the top 20 in this field in first-round performances over the previous 12 months, he can take advantage of his morning tee time.

Coussaud was largely consistent in 2025, picking up 10 top-25s, but he struggled to trouble the leaders too often, recording a solo top-10 when 5^th in the Open de Espana. He started the new year with a best-ever 49^th in the Dubai Desert Classic, which I’m hoping he can build on in Bahrain.

The Frenchman is 27^th in SG: Total over the last 12 months, and he has been an especially potent force in round one, ranking 15^th. His top-five in Spain was aided by a six-under 65 on Thursday to share the FRL and he also held a piece of the lead in the first round of the BMW International Open earlier in the year.

Coussaud took to Royal Golf Club right away in 2024, with a four-under 68 enough to sit 13^th after 18 holes. He went on to finish 12^th in that event and having finished 2^nd in Qatar and 6^th in Abu Dhabi, it’s evident that these conditions suit him best.

0.75 pts Frederic LaCroix each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 66/1

Start time: 7.40am

My third and final selection is Coussaud’s compatriot Frederic LaCroix. His long game has looked strong over the opening two events and with a 4^th-place finish in Bahrain in 2024 boding well, I expect him to thrive in the calmer conditions.

LaCroix was in good form at the beginning of 2025, picking up six top-25s over his first 13 starts, but his performances tailed off towards the end of the year. He played solidly in the Dubai Invitational to kick off 2026, finishing 26^th, and he drove the ball with promise, placing 13^th in SG: Off-the-Tee. There was further encouragement within last week’s 56^th-place finish in the Dubai Desert Classic, where he was 5^th in GIR and 14^th in SG: Approach.

This level of ball-striking is what we’ve come to expect of him, ranking 22^nd with his irons and 27^th with the driver over the previous year. He’s also 26^th in first-round performance over the same period.

LaCroix shot four under-par rounds at Royal Golf Club in 2024 to record that top-five finish, when he hit the ball with as much quality as anyone. He didn’t play here last year, but a 3^rd-place finish at Ras Al Khaimah is another great pointer, suggesting these Middle Eastern desert conditions fit his game.

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