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 at the Royal Golf Club. In a dramatic playoff, Schott triumphed over Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most important chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: \”Nerves kicked in from the back nine\”
The final day demanded everything from Schott. \”It was tough, especially towards the end,\” he described. The start was \”okay,\” as he played quite well with a good rhythm. But tension grew with the back nine: \”Of course, the nerves kicked in from there.\”
Schott stayed composed. \”I was glad I managed it pretty well – not perfect, but okay,\” he reflected. This was especially evident on hole 11 when after missing an eagle on 10, he had 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 following chip failed. \”Two putts, just a dumb double bogey.\”
Birdies at the right time and a shared lead
Instead of being thrown off by the setback, Schott made a conscious decision. \”Normally we 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 essence of his sport: \”These are the moments you are here for; this is why you play golf – so try to press the gas and keep going.\”
Done and dusted. \”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. After 72 holes at 17-under par, he shared the lead with Reed and Hill, making a playoff inevitable. In the playoff, Schott kept his nerves. Two playoff holes were enough to seal his victory. Hill faltered, Reed had already been eliminated – Schott played flawlessly and finished with a par to complete his triumph.
Caddie as an anchor: \”We talked about everything except golf\”
A key role was also played by his caddie. \”Luckily I talked a lot with Taka,\” Schott said. \”He completely kept me 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 final putt was indescribable. \”How I feel is beyond words. I have no words,\” said Schott. One thing was clear to him: \”I’m just glad