Freddy Schott speaks 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’s unbelievable,\” said the Düsseldorf native after celebrating his first DP World Tour victory. In a dramatic playoff at the Royal Golf Club, Schott edged out Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most significant chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: \”The nerves kicked in on the back nine\”
The final day tested the German in every way. \”It was tough, especially towards the end,\” Schott described the hours on the course. The start was \”okay\” because \”I played quite well and had a good rhythm.\” But with the back nine came the tension: \”Of course, the nerves started from there.\”
Schott remained composed. \”I was glad I managed it quite well – not perfectly, but okay,\” he reflected. His imperfect moments became clear on the 11th hole. After missing an eagle on the 10th, an unlucky tee shot followed: \”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 subsequent chip failed. \”Two putts, just a dumb double bogey.\”
Timely birdies and a shared lead
Instead of letting the setback derail him, Schott made a conscious decision. \”We normally get a ride from 11 to 12, and I said: Okay, I won’t take it, I’ll walk to calm down and stay in the moment.\” He reminded himself of the core reason for playing: \”These are the moments you are here for; this is why you play golf – so try to step on the gas and keep going.\”
His plan worked. \”We played a beautiful shot on 12, a good birdie on 13,\” Schott reported, before focusing on \”just getting it into the clubhouse.\” With 17 under par, he shared the lead with Reed and Hill after 72 holes – a playoff was inevitable. Schott kept his nerves steady in the playoff. Two holes were enough to seal the win. Hill faltered, Reed had already been eliminated – Schott stayed flawless and finished his triumph with a par.
Caddie as an anchor: \”We talked about everything but 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 these thoughts. We talked about everything but 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 last putt was hard to put into words. \”How I feel is indescribable. I have no words,\” Schott said. One thing was certain for him