Freddy Schott talks about nerves, mistakes and relief after his first DP World Tour win in Bahrain.
After winning 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 incredible,’ said the German from Düsseldorf after clinching his maiden DP World Tour victory. In a dramatic playoff at the Royal Golf Club, Schott triumphed over Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most important chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: \”The nerves kicked in from the back nine\”
The final day tested Schott to his limits. ‘It was tough, especially towards the end,’ he described his time on the course. The start was ‘okay’ as he played fairly well and found 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 quite well – not perfect, but okay,’ he reflected. Imperfections showed especially on the 11th hole. After missing an eagle on 10, he hit 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.’ The ball landed very hot behind the green, and the subsequent chip failed. ‘Two putts, just a dumb double bogey.’
Birdies at the right time and shared lead
Instead of getting thrown off by the setback, Schott made a conscious choice. ‘We usually get a ride from 11 to 12, and I said: Okay, I’ll walk to calm down and stay in the moment.’ He reminded himself of his sport’s core: ‘These are the moments you’re here for; this is why you play golf – so try to press the gas and keep going.’
And so he did. ‘We played a beautiful shot on 12, a good birdie on 13,’ Schott recounted before the last holes were just about ‘getting it somehow to the clubhouse.’ With 17 under par, he shared the lead with Reed and Hill after 72 holes – the playoff was inevitable. In the playoff, Schott kept his nerves. Two playoff holes were enough to seal the win. Hill faltered, Reed was already out – Schott stayed error-free and completed his triumph with a par.
Caddie as an anchor: \”We talked about everything except golf\”
His caddie played a key role. ‘Fortunately, I spoke a lot with Taka,’ Schott said. ‘He completely kept my mind off 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 last putt was hard to express in 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