Freddy Schott talks about nerves, mistakes, and relief after his first DP World Tour win 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 celebrating his first DP World Tour win in Bahrain. In a dramatic playoff at the Royal Golf Club, Schott prevailed against Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most important chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: ‘The nerves hit me on the back nine’
The final day demanded everything from Schott. ‘It was tough, especially towards the end,’ he described. The start was ‘okay’ because he played fairly well and had a good rhythm. But tension set in on the back nine: ‘Of course, the nerves kicked in from there.’
Schott stayed composed. ‘I was glad I managed it quite well – not perfect, but okay,’ he reflected. Imperfection showed 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 being thrown off by the setback, Schott made a conscious choice. ‘We usually get a ride from 11 to 12, but I said: Okay, I won’t ride, I’ll walk to calm down and stay in the moment.’ 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 gas pedal and keep going.’
And he did. ‘We played a beautiful shot on 12, a good birdie on 13,’ Schott recounted, before focusing on ‘just getting it somehow to the clubhouse’ in the final holes. With 17 under par after 72 holes, he shared the lead with Reed and Hill – a playoff was inevitable. In the playoff, Schott held his nerves. Two extra holes were enough to seal the win. Hill faltered, Reed had already dropped out – Schott remained flawless and finished his triumph with a par.
Caddie as an anchor: ‘We talked about everything, except golf’
His caddie also played a key role. ‘Luckily, I talked a lot with Taka,’ Schott said. ‘He kept me completely away from all those thoughts. We talked about everything, just not 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 final putt was hard to describe. ‘How I feel is indescribable. I have no words,’ said Schott. One thing was clear: ‘I’m just