Freddy Schott talks about nerves, mistakes, and relief after his first DP World Tour victory in Bahrain.
After his win at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour, Freddy Schott was at a loss for words: ‘It still hasn’t quite sunk in. It will take a while, but it is incredible,’ said the German from Düsseldorf after celebrating his first DP World Tour victory at the Royal Golf Club. In a dramatic playoff, Schott prevailed against Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most important chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: \”Nerves Kicked In on the Back Nine\”
The final day demanded everything from Schott. ‘It was tough, especially towards the end,’ he described. The start was ‘okay’ as he played quite well with a good rhythm. But on the back nine, the tension rose: ‘Of course, the nerves kicked in then.’ Schott managed to keep composed. ‘I was glad I handled it fairly well – not perfect, but okay,’ he reflected. His imperfection showed particularly on hole 11, after a missed eagle on 10 followed an unfortunate tee shot: ‘The plan was to aim six or seven meters right of the pin, but I pulled it. Pulled shots often go long.’ His ball landed ‘very hot’ behind the green, and the following chip failed, resulting in a simple double bogey with two putts.
Timely Birdies and a Shared Lead
Instead of letting the setback throw him off, Schott made a conscious decision. ‘Usually, we get a ride from 11 to 12, but I said: Okay, I won’t take the ride, I will walk to calm down and stay in the moment.’ He reminded himself of the core of his sport: ‘These are the moments you are here for; this is why you play golf – so try to step on the gas and keep going.’ They then executed a beautiful shot on 12 and a good birdie on 13. In the last holes, it was just about ‘getting it somehow into the clubhouse.’ After 72 holes at 17 under par, he shared the lead with Reed and Hill, making a playoff inevitable. In the playoff, Schott kept his nerves. Two playoff holes were enough to seal the victory. Hill faltered, Reed had been eliminated earlier, and Schott remained error-free, finishing his triumph with a par.
Caddie as Anchor: \”We Talked About Everything Except Golf\”
A key role was played by his caddie. ‘Luckily, I talked a lot with Taka,’ said Schott. ‘He completely kept me away from all those thoughts. We talked about everything, just not golf – and that was great.’ His conclusion: ‘He did an incredible job this week, and I couldn’t be happier working with him.’ The emotional moment after the final putt was indescribable. ‘How I feel is indescribable. I have no words,’ Schott said. One thing was clear: ‘I’m just happy that I got it over the line – and we’ll see what the