Nerve-wracking Bahrain finale: Freddy Schott wins playoff against Reed and Hill, claiming his first DP World Tour victory and rising to 9th in Race to Dubai.
The Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship at the Royal Golf Club Bahrain delivered suspense until the very last moment on the DP World Tour. In a tight battle among Scotsman Calum Hill, American Patrick Reed, and German Freddy Schott, it was Schott who emerged victorious after a thrilling final day playoff. This triumph marks Schott’s first win on the DP World Tour. With this success, the Düsseldorfer skyrocketed to 9th place in the Race to Dubai rankings, climbing up 94 spots.
Trio Shares Lead after Final Round
All three players finished the final Sunday tied at 17 under par atop the leaderboard. Freddy Schott improved by one stroke from the previous day, shooting a 69. He shined with four birdies on the front nine but dropped a bogey on the 8th hole. On the back nine, his round was steady despite a double bogey on hole 11. Three additional birdies and another bogey resulted in a total of three under par for the day.
Patrick Reed closed with a 67, five under par, including seven birdies and two bogeys, nearing his best round score of 66 from Saturday.
Calum Hill carded a 71, one under par, maintaining a high position on the leaderboard. Thanks to an outstanding 61 on Friday, Hill held a lead buffer, but his competitors capitalized on his final day struggles. Despite five birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey, Hill fell short of securing a solo victory at the Royal Golf Club.
DP World Tour: Dramatic Playoff Decides Winner Freddy Schott
The playoff began with Schott making par on the 18th hole while Reed bogeyed with five strokes. Hill also made par with four strokes, forcing a second playoff hole. There, Hill faltered, scoring seven on the par-4 and conceding, while Schott held steady with even par to claim the title.
Spanish golfer Sergio García, who had led the leaderboard several times during the event, finished the final day with a 68 and tied for fourth place with New Zealander Daniel Hillier, both at 16 under par.
Other Notable Performances
Swiss player Joel Girrbach was unable to replicate his earlier strong rounds, finishing with a 72 (even par) and falling to T31 with nine under par overall. German Nicolai von Dellingshausen also struggled on the final day with a 74, ending two strokes over par and dropping to T41 at seven under par.