Freddy Schott talks about nerves, mistakes and relief following 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 quite sunk in. It will take a while, but it’s incredible,\” said the Düsseldorf native after celebrating his first DP World Tour win. 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 on the back nine\”
The final day took everything out of the German. \”It was tough, especially towards the end,\” Schott described his hours on the course. The start was \”okay\” as he played quite well with a good rhythm. But tension rose on the back nine: \”Of course, the nerves started to show then.\”
Schott remained composed. \”I was glad I managed it pretty well – not perfect, but okay,\” he said in hindsight. Imperfections showed especially on hole 11. After missing an eagle on 10, he hit an unlucky tee shot. \”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 following chip failed. \”Two putts, just a dumb double-bogey.\”
Birdies at the right time and a shared lead
Instead of letting the setback throw him off, Schott made a conscious decision. \”We usually get a ride from 11 to 12, but I said: okay, I won’t take the ride; I’ll walk to calm down and stay present.\” He reminded himself of the core of his sport: \”These are the moments you’re here for; this is why you play golf – so try to press the accelerator and keep going.\”
He followed through. \”We played a beautiful shot on 12, a good birdie on 13,\” Schott reported, before focusing on just getting \”it somehow into the clubhouse\” in the last holes. At 17 under par, he shared the lead with Reed and Hill after 72 holes – the playoff was inevitable. In the decision, Schott kept his nerves. Two playoff holes were enough to seal the win. Hill faltered, Reed was already out – Schott remained 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 final putt was hard to put into words. \”How I feel is indescribable. I have no words,\” Schott said. One thing