Freddy Schott talks about nerves, mistakes and relief following 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 quite sunk in. It will take a while, but it’s incredible,\” said the Düsseldorf native after celebrating his first win on the DP World Tour at the Royal Golf Club. In a dramatic playoff, Schott prevailed against Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, writing the most important chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: \”The nerves kicked in from the back nine\”
The final day tested the German to his limits. \”It was tough, especially towards the end,\” Schott described the 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 kicked in there.\”
Despite this, Freddy Schott kept his composure. \”I was glad I managed it quite well – not perfectly, but okay,\” he reflected. This was evident especially on the 11th hole. After missing an eagle on the 10th, 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 following chip missed. \”Two putts, just a silly double bogey.\”
Birdies at the right time and a shared lead
Instead of letting the setback shake him, Schott made a conscious decision. \”Normally we get a ride from the 11th to the 12th, but I said: okay, I won’t take the ride, I’ll walk to calm down and stay in the moment.\” He reminded himself of the core of the sport: \”These are the moments you are here for; this is why you play golf – so try to press the accelerator and keep going.\”
And he did just that. \”We played a beautiful shot on the 12th and a good birdie on the 13th,\” Schott recounted, 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 – a playoff was inevitable. In the playoff, Schott kept his nerves steady. Two playoff holes were enough to seal the victory. Hill faltered, Reed had already been eliminated – Schott played flawlessly and completed his triumph with a par.
Caddie as an anchor: \”We talked about everything but golf\”
His caddie played a key role. \”Luckily I spoke a lot with Taka,\” Schott said. \”He kept me completely away from all those thoughts. We talked about everything but golf – and that was great.\” His conclusion: \”He did