Nerve-wracking Bahrain finish: Freddy Schott wins in playoff over Reed and Hill, clinches first DP World Tour title and rises to 9th in Race to Dubai.
At the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain, the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour remained thrilling until the last moment. In a strong head-to-head competition among Scot Calum Hill, American Patrick Reed, and German Freddy Schott, it was ultimately Freddy Schott who triumphed in a nerve-wracking playoff on the final day. This victory marks Schott’s first on the DP World Tour. The Düsseldorf native catapults to 9th place in the Race to Dubai rankings, jumping 94 spots.
Trio Shares Lead After Final Round
All three players finished the final Sunday tied at 17 under par atop the leaderboard. Freddy Schott improved by one stroke from the previous day with a 69. He shined with four birdies on the front nine but had a bogey on hole 8. His back nine was solid despite a double bogey on hole 11, finishing with three birdies and another bogey for a three-under par round.
American Patrick Reed shot a 67, five under par, with seven birdies and two bogeys, coming close to matching his best round of the tournament, a 66 on Saturday.
Scot Calum Hill posted an average 71, one under par, securing a high position on the leaderboard. Though his impressive 61 on Friday gave him a cushion, his rivals closed in due to his less stellar final round including five birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey, not enough for an outright win at the Royal Golf Club.
DP World Tour: Freddy Schott Wins in Dramatic Playoff
The playoff began with Schott making par. Patrick Reed scored a bogey with five strokes. Hill matched Schott with par at four strokes, forcing a second playoff hole. On the second playoff hole, Hill faltered with seven strokes on the par-4 and was eliminated. Freddy Schott played even par to secure the championship.
Spanish golfer Sergio García, who led the leaderboard several times during the tournament, finished the final day with a 68 and tied for fourth place alongside New Zealander Daniel Hillier, both at 16 under par overall.
The moment Freddy Schott became a winner on Tour 🙌
He beat Calum Hill on the second play-off hole as the Scotsman conceded after going out of bounds off the tee and then into the water with his fourth shot. #BahrainGolfChamps pic.twitter.com/GhZCRaRR6v