Freddy Schott talks about nerves, mistakes and relief after his first DP World Tour victory in Bahrain.
Freddy Schott was at a loss for words after his win at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour: ‘It still hasn’t fully sunk in. It will take some time, but it’s incredible,’ said the Düsseldorf native, who celebrated his first DP World Tour victory at the Royal Golf Club in a dramatic playoff against Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most important chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: \”Nerves kicked in from the back nine\”
The final day demanded everything from the German. ‘It was tough, especially towards the end,’ Schott described his time on the course. The start was ‘okay’ as he played quite well and had a good rhythm. But from the back nine, tension set in: ‘Of course, the nerves kicked in from there.’
Despite this, Freddy Schott stayed composed. ‘I was glad I managed it fairly well – not perfectly, but okay,’ he reflected. His imperfection showed particularly on the 11th hole. After missing an eagle on the 10th, he made an unfortunate tee shot: ‘The plan was to aim six or seven meters right of the flag, but I pulled it. Pulled shots often go long.’ The ball landed ‘very hot’ behind the green, and the following chip missed. ‘Two putts, just a stupid double bogey.’
Birdies at the right time and a shared lead
Rather than letting the setback derail him, 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’ll walk to calm myself down, to stay in the moment.’ He reminded himself why he plays the game: ‘These are the moments you’re here for; this is why you play golf – so try to step on the gas and keep going.’
And so he did. ‘We played a beautiful shot on the 12th and a good birdie on the 13th,’ Schott reported before the final holes were about ‘just getting it somehow to the clubhouse.’ At 17 under par, he shared the lead after 72 holes with Reed and Hill, forcing a playoff. In the playoff, Schott kept his nerves. Two extra holes were enough to secure victory. Hill faltered, Reed was already out – Schott remained flawless and sealed his triumph with a par.
Caddie as an 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 distracted me 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 to work with him.’
The emotional moment after the last putt was hard to put into words. ‘How I feel is indescribable.