Freddy Schott talks about nerves, mistakes, and relief after his first DP World Tour win in Bahrain.
Freddy Schott was at a loss for words after his victory at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour: ‘It still hasn’t fully sunk in. It will take a while, but it’s incredible,’ said the German from Düsseldorf following his first DP World Tour win at the Royal Golf Club, where he triumphed in a dramatic playoff against Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most important chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: \”The Nerves Hit on the Back Nine\”
The final day tested the German’s resilience. ‘It was tough, especially towards the end,’ Schott described the hours on the course. The start was ‘okay’ since he played pretty well with a good rhythm, but the tension arose on the back nine: ‘Naturally, the nerves set in from there.’ Despite this, Freddy Schott stayed composed. ‘I was glad I managed it pretty well—not perfect, but okay,’ he reflected. Imperfections became evident especially on hole 11, where after a missed eagle on hole 10, an unfortunate tee shot went wrong: ‘The plan was to aim six or seven meters right of the pin, but I pulled it. Pulled shots often go long.’ The ball landed ‘very hot’ behind the green, and the following chip failed, resulting in a dumb double bogey with two putts.
Birdies at the Right Time 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: Ok, I won’t ride, I’ll walk to calm myself down and stay in the moment.’ He reminded himself of the essence of his sport: ‘These are the moments you are here for; this is why you play golf—so try to put your foot on the gas and keep going.’ And so he did. ‘We played a beautiful shot on 12 and got a good birdie on 13,’ Schott reported, before the last holes were about ‘just getting it to the clubhouse somehow.’ Tied at 17 under par after 72 holes with Reed and Hill, a playoff was inevitable. In the playoff, Schott kept his nerves, finishing error-free with a par while Hill faltered and Reed had already been eliminated, sealing Schott’s triumph.
Caddie as an Anchor: \”We Talked About Everything, Except Golf\”
His caddie played a key role. ‘Luckily, I talked a lot with Taka,’ said Schott. ‘He completely kept me away from all those thoughts. We talked about everything except 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 hard to put into words. ‘How I feel is indescribable. I have no words,’ Schott said. One thing was certain: ‘I’m just glad I got it over the line—and we