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 will take some time, but it’s amazing,\” said the German from Düsseldorf, who claimed his first DP World Tour victory at the Royal Golf Club in a dramatic playoff against Patrick Reed and Calum Hill. This marked the most significant chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: ‘Nerves hit from the back nine’
The final day tested Schott to the fullest. \”It was tough, especially towards the end,\” he described. The start was \”okay\” as he played quite well and found a good rhythm. But tension rose on the back nine: \”Of course, nerves set in from there.\”
Despite this, Freddy Schott stayed composed. \”I was glad I managed it reasonably well—not perfectly, but okay,\” he reflected. Imperfections showed especially on hole 11. After missing an eagle on 10, an unfortunate tee shot followed: \”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 failed. \”Two putts, just a silly double bogey.\”
Birdies at the right time and a shared lead
Instead of getting shaken by the setback, Schott made a conscious choice. \”We usually get a ride from 11 to 12, and I said: ‘Okay, I won’t ride, I’ll walk to calm down, to stay in the moment.’\” He reminded himself of the core of the sport: \”These are the moments you’re here for; this is why you play golf—so try to step on the gas and keep going.\”
And so he did. \”We played a beautiful shot on 12, a good birdie on 13,\” Schott reported, and towards the end, it was only about \”somehow getting it into the clubhouse.\” With 17 under par after 72 holes, he shared the lead with Reed and Hill—the playoff was inevitable. In the playoff, Schott kept his nerves. Two holes were enough to secure the win. Hill faltered, Reed was eliminated earlier—Schott stayed flawless and finished his triumph with a par.
Caddie as an anchor: ‘We talked about everything but golf’
A key role was also played by his caddie. \”Luckily, I talked a lot with Taka,\” Schott said. \”He completely distracted me from all those thoughts. We talked about everything but golf—and that 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 last putt was hard to put into words. \”How I feel is indescribable. I have no words,\” Schott said. One thing was certain for him: \”I’m just glad I