Yannik Paul is looking to reset in 2026 as he makes his first DP World Tour start of the year, opening with a level par 70 at the Magical Kenya Open presented by absa with his mum Birgit on the bag.
After recording a top 20 finish on the HotelPlanner Tour in South Africa last week, Paul is taking the opportunity to enjoy the week alongside his mother as she caddies for him for the first time in a DP World Tour event.
“It’s a new experience on the DP World Tour,” Paul told the DP World Tour at Karen Country Club.
“She’s caddied before on PGA Tour Canada when I first started out a little bit, but that was her debut on the DP World Tour. She did really well and we had a good time out there.”
“We always have fun together,” Birgit added. “I’m usually a spectator, not carrying, but if we spend time together, I really enjoy it every time.”
The German is hoping that this relaxed environment can help him find momentum after a difficult 2025 season, where he struggled for consistency and finished 121st on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World.
He has spent the last few weeks competing out on the HotelPlanner Tour, where Birgit was also present last week. That familiarity made the decision to bring her inside the ropes in Kenya an easy one.
“I played on the HotelPlanner Tour the last couple of weeks, and she was there last week,” he said. “So I decided, hey, why not just come here and have you on the bag? And she said yes. I just want to enjoy the time, and we had a really good time today.”
It isn’t the first time a family member has stepped into the role. Paul’s father caddied for him at the 2021 HotelPlanner Tour Grand Final, where he finished second. “Now it’s my mum’s turn,” he said with a grin. “We’ll see if she can do better than that.”
Beyond the golf, the week carries personal significance. Paul lives in the United States, meaning opportunities to spend extended time with his parents are limited. “Since I live in the States, we don’t see each other that often,” he said. “So it’s nice for her to come to South Africa and now to Kenya. She’s getting the full experience.”
And while she may not be a regular caddie, the lovely dynamic between them meant Paul welcomed the occasional collaboration out on the course.
Asked whether she ever told her son what to do, Birgit admitted, “Yeah, sometimes," as Paul added, “I asked her where the wind is coming from and stuff, so she gave something.”
Birgit recalled one moment in particular: “I told him at 7,” she said of a club choice suggestion.
“And we made a birdie,” Paul finished.
