Nerve-wracking finish in Bahrain: Freddy Schott wins a playoff against Reed and Hill, claiming his first DP World Tour victory and rising to 9th in the Race to Dubai.
At the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain, the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour remained thrilling until the final moment. In a tight contest among Scotsman Calum Hill, American Patrick Reed, and German Freddy Schott, it was Schott who edged out the others in a tense playoff on the last day. This win marks Schott’s first triumph on the DP World Tour and propels the Düsseldorf native to 9th place in the Race to Dubai, climbing 94 spots.
Trio Shares Lead After Final Round
All three players finished Sunday tied at 17 under par atop the leaderboard. Schott improved by one stroke from the previous day with a 69. He shined on the front nine with four birdies but recorded a bogey on hole 8. His back nine was steady despite a double bogey on hole 11, adding three birdies and one other bogey for a total 3-under-par round.
Patrick Reed shot a 67, five under par, with seven birdies and two bogeys, nearly matching his best round of 66 from Saturday.
Calum Hill carded a 71, one under par, securing a high position on the leaderboard thanks to his impressive 61 on Friday. However, his competitors closed the gap on the final day as he recorded five birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey but couldn’t clinch the outright win at the Royal Golf Club.
DP World Tour: Dramatic Playoff Decision for Freddy Schott
The playoff began with Schott making par. Reed bogeyed after five strokes, and Hill made par with four strokes, forcing a second playoff hole. There, Hill scored seven on the par-4 and conceded, missing the victory. Schott parred the second playoff hole, sealing his win.
Spanish player Sergio García, who led the leaderboard several times during the tournament, finished day four with a 68 and tied for fourth place alongside New Zealander Daniel Hillier, both ending at 16 under par.
Others’ Performances
Swiss Joel Girrbach couldn’t maintain his previous strong form, despite a promising start with a birdie on hole 2 and an eagle on the following hole. He made bogeys on holes 8, 11, 15, and 17, closing even par with a 72 and finishing tied 31st at 9 under par after dropping 13 spots.
German Nicolai von Dellingshausen struggled on the final day, shooting 74 with only one birdie and three bogeys, ending two over par and dropping 23 places to tie 41st at seven under par.