Freddy Schott reflects on 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 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 Bahrain. In a dramatic playoff, Schott triumphed over Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most important chapter in his career so far.
Freddy Schott: ‘Nerves Hit on the Back Nine’
The final day tested the German’s mettle. ‘It was tough, especially towards the end,’ Schott described his time on the course. He noted that his start was ‘okay’ as he was playing quite well and had a good rhythm. But as he reached the back nine, the pressure mounted: ‘Naturally, nerves set in from then on.’
Nonetheless, Schott kept his composure. ‘I was glad I managed it fairly well—not perfectly, but okay,’ he reflected. His imperfection was particularly evident on the 11th hole. Following a missed eagle on the 10th, he made 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 landed ‘very hot’ behind the green, and the subsequent chip failed, resulting in ‘two putts, just a silly double bogey.’
Birdies at the Right Time and a Shared Lead
Instead of letting this setback throw him off, Schott made a conscious decision. ‘Usually, we get a ride from the 11th to the 12th, but I said: Okay, I won’t ride, I’ll walk to calm myself down, to stay in the moment.’ He reminded himself of the core reason for playing golf: ‘These are the moments you’re here for; this is why you play golf—so try to push the gas pedal and keep going.’
And so he did. ‘We had a beautiful shot on the 12th and a good birdie on the 13th,’ Schott recounted, before focusing on ‘somehow getting it to the clubhouse’ in the remaining holes. With 17 under par, he shared the lead after 72 holes with Reed and Hill—making a playoff inevitable. In the playoff, Schott kept his nerves steady. Two playoff holes were enough to secure victory. Hill faltered, Reed had already been eliminated, and Schott stayed error-free, sealing his triumph with a par.
Caddie as an Anchor: ‘We Talked About Everything, Except Golf’
His caddie played a key role as well. ‘Fortunately, I talked a lot with Taka,’ Schott said. ‘He completely distracted me from all those thoughts. We talked about everything except golf—and that was great.’ His summary: ‘He did an incredible job this week, and I couldn’t be happier to work with him