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 fully sunk in. It’ll take some time, but it’s incredible,\” said the Düsseldorf native, who celebrated his first DP World Tour win at the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain. In a dramatic playoff, Schott edged out Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most significant chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: \”The 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 start was \”okay,\” as he had a good rhythm. But on the back nine, the tension grew: \”Of course, the nerves started to come in.\”
Nevertheless, Schott kept his composure. \”I was glad I managed it fairly well – not perfect, but okay,\” he reflected. Imperfect moments surfaced especially on hole 11. After missing an eagle on 10, he hit 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 subsequent chip shot failed. \”Two putts and a dumb double bogey.\”
Birdies at the right time and a shared lead
Instead of getting thrown off by the setback, Schott made a conscious decision. \”Usually, we get a ride from 11 to 12, but I said: Okay, I won’t take it; I’ll walk to calm down and stay in the moment.\” He reminded himself why he plays the sport: \”These are the moments you’re here for; that’s the reason you play golf – so try to press the gas and keep going.\”
He executed the plan. \”We hit a beautiful shot on 12 and a good birdie on 13,\” Schott reported, before focusing on just getting \”somehow to the clubhouse.\” With 17 under par, he shared the lead after 72 holes 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 was already out, and Schott stayed error-free to finish his triumph with a par.
Caddie as an anchor: \”We talked about everything but golf\”
His caddie also played a key role. \”Luckily, I talked a lot with Taka,\” Schott said. \”He completely distracted me from all those thoughts. We talked about everything but golf – and it 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 final putt was hard to put into words. \”How I feel is indescribable. I have no words,\” Schott said. One thing was clear: