In a nerve-wracking playoff, Freddy Schott secures his first DP World Tour victory using only Ping clubs.
Freddy Schott clinched his maiden win on the DP World Tour at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship 2026 after a tense playoff. It took until the second playoff hole against Scotland’s Callum Hill and American Patrick Reed, who also finished the tournament at -17, to confirm the 24-year-old Düsseldorf native’s first major success back to Germany. He relied exclusively on clubs from the renowned Japanese brand Ping throughout his bag.
Driver: Mini Driver as a Secret Weapon
The newly crowned champion trusts a mini driver off the tee, similar to Marco Penge, who also recently adopted such a club. Schott’s driver is a prototype model from Ping, which was added to the USGA Conforming List only this January. Ping is among the few manufacturers whose mini drivers are not yet commercially available and currently used only by the world’s top players. Notable features include the ‘Prototype’ marking on the sole, an adjustable weight at the back, a movable hosel, and the inscription ‘Spinsistency’ on the clubface, completing the previously unseen design.
Freddy Schott also carries a Ping utility iron. Previously, depending on course conditions, he used a 2- or 3-iron from the Ping iCrossover series, but has now been spotted with the newly introduced iDi utility iron from late 2025. The Ping iDi is a powerful long iron combining modern technology with a compact shape, excellent feel, and high control, designed to maximize ball speed and stability, especially as a driving iron or for long approach shots.
Ping Blueprint-S for Control and Performance
For his standard irons (4-PW), Schott uses clubs from the Ping Blueprint-S series, which he has played for about a year since their initial launch in early 2025. Before that, he utilized Ping i59 irons for over two years. The Blueprint-S heads are fully forged from 8620 carbon steel featuring a thin topline, narrow sole, and matte satin chrome finish. This series targets low-handicap golfers seeking irons that offer excellent control along with high performance.
His wedges are also Ping, from the S259 family. These wedges have precision-milled MicroMax grooves on the face, with a Hydropearl chrome finish that maximizes friction and spin, especially in wet conditions. The S259 series succeeded the popular S159 and became available only since early 2026.
Freddy Schott’s Crucial Putter in the Playoff
The final club in Schott’s bag is also Ping-made, a brand known since 1959 for the distinct sound when putting. Schott prefers the classic mallet design putter and has been seen using this style previously. The custom Ping PLD Ketsch putter, made to his specifications, promises precise roll and clear feedback. It led Schott to the best putting statistics over the four tournament days and ultimately helped him secure victory in the playoff.
Exceptionally, his ball choice is a Titleist Pro V1, like many other professional golfers.