Freddy Schott talks about nerves, mistakes and relief after his first DP World Tour victory in Bahrain.
Freddy Schott was at a loss for words after his victory at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour: ‘It still hasn’t fully sunk in. It will take a while, but it’s incredible,’ said the German from Düsseldorf after claiming his maiden DP World Tour win in a dramatic playoff at the Royal Golf Club against Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most important chapter in his career so far.
Freddy Schott: ‘Nerves kicked in on the back nine’
The final day demanded everything from Schott. ‘It was tough, especially towards the end,’ he described. His start was ‘okay’ because he played quite well and had a good rhythm, but on the back nine the tension set in: ‘Of course, the nerves kicked in then.’
Despite that, Schott kept his composure. ‘I was glad I managed it pretty well – not perfect, but okay,’ he reflected. Imperfections showed especially on hole 11: after missing an eagle opportunity on 10, he hit an unfortunate 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 ended up ‘very hot’ behind the green, and the following chip failed. ‘Two putts, just a dumb double bogey.’
Birdies at the right times and a shared lead
Instead of getting derailed, Schott made a conscious decision. ‘Usually, we get a ride from 11 to 12, but I said: Okay, I won’t take the ride, I’ll walk to calm myself down and stay in the moment.’ He reminded himself of the essence of golf: ‘These are the moments you are here for; this is why you play golf – so try to step on the gas and keep going.’
He delivered. ‘We played a beautiful shot on 12, got a good birdie on 13,’ Schott reported, then the last holes were just about ‘getting it somehow into the clubhouse.’ Tied at 17 under par after 72 holes with Reed and Hill, a playoff was inevitable. Schott kept his nerves in check and sealed the win in two playoff holes. Hill faltered, Reed was previously eliminated – Schott stayed flawless, finishing with a par to clinch his triumph.
Caddie as anchor: ‘We talked about everything but golf’
His caddie played a key role. ‘Luckily, I talked a lot with Taka,’ said Schott. ‘He kept me completely away 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 working 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 clear: ‘I’m just glad I got it over the line – and we’ll see what