Few, if anybody, can say they have a better record at this week’s DP World Tour venue than Tom Sloman.
In November, the Englishman successfully defended his title at the King Hamad Trophy at Royal Golf Club to become a three-time winner of the championship, organised by the Bahrain Golf Association.
By doing so, he earned an automatic invite to this week’s US$2.75 million Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship for the second year running.
For two of his victories at the King Hamad Trophy in 2022 and 2024, Sloman finished with a winning score of 13 under - a total that would have been good enough to be in a play-off at the inaugural Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship in 2024 and finish one shot off the winning score last year.
This week, playing on the DP World Tour for just the fifth time in his career and having missed the cut here last year, represents a step-up, though.
"The first 13 holes are definitely the most scoreable, [while] the last four are definitely the toughest holes," said Sloman of the challenge that awaits those teeing it up.
"With the 15th (where water is in sight to the left off the tee), I think the wind is completely a different direction than when I played the King Hamad Trophy so that'll be tougher.
"And 18 is obviously tough with this wind as well. I hope it stays the same.
"Obviously, I didn’t do well in this tournament last year but it was absolutely blowing a hooley. I do just like it though, it suits my eye. It's just about doing it on the day."
While Sloman may be a new name to many observers, he has been around for several years in the professional scene.
In 2019, he was part of the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team that featured Alex Fitzpatrick and Euan Walker, who are both also teeing it up this week on the DP World Tour's International Swing.
A winner of the 2020-22 MENA Tour Order of Merit - protracted as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic - Sloman has featured on a number of lower-level tours in recent seasons.
Last year, he plied his trade predominantly on the Clutch Tour, finishing fourth on their Order of Merit to just miss out on earning HotelPlanner Tour playing privileges for the 2026 season.
While he made it to the Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School to earn some status on the HotelPlanner Tour for this year, Sloman faces the challenge again of plotting a schedule that is set to see him play aross three tours in 2026.
After this rare assignment on the DP World Tour, events in Morocco and Jordan on the MENA Tour await in February and March before a return to Bahrain with the Clutch Tour.
It isn't until April, at the earliest, that Sloman envisages himself starting to play on the HotelPlanner Tour through a mixture of confirmed starts and invites.
The goal is to at least finish the year with guaranteed full playing rights on the HotelPlanner Tour in 2027.
"I obviously can't keep up playing on the Clutch Tour for much longer," said Sloman, alluding to the financial challenges that come with forging an international schedule and limited prize money.
"You can't make a life out of that, can you? You have got to be [competing] towards the top of the HotelPlanner Tour or on the DP World Tour, really.
"I am going to stick it out this year and see how it goes."
Sloman is taking inspiration from the many stories of those who have turned around their career fortunes in recent years, including countrymen Marco Penge and Dan Brown who are this year adjusting to their newfound status as members on both the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR.
"I know [at least] 20 people on the DP World Tour," he said. "I played with them in the amateur days.
"They're no better than what I am - they've just got there. The hardest bit is getting there."
A good week at a happy hunting would go a long way to helping him on that way.
