Freddy Schott Claims Maiden DP World Tour Win At Bahrain Championship

HOTTING UP IN BAHRAIN

It has been an eventful morning in Bahrain, where overnight leader Calum Hill has dropped down the leaderboard following a poor run that included a bogey and double bogey.

Freddy Schott is the new leader, following five birdies and a sole bogey during 10 holes, with the experienced Sergio Garcia also making a move on Sunday, sitting five-under through 12 holes despite an opening bogey.

Schott is 18-under, while Garcia is 17-under. There's a two-way tie for third at 16-under, which includes Daniel Hillier and Hill. Patrick Reed and Ugo Coussaud are 15-under.

REED MAKES BIRDIE

He's had three putts lip out today but, at the par 3 12th, Reed rams it home and moves to 16-under, just two back of leader, Schott, who has gone long of the green at the par 4 11th.

BIG MISTAKE FROM THE LEADER

Wow... after a poor tee shot, Schott goes long of the green at the 11th and is in position Z.

It's a near-impossible up-and-down for the German, who gets too fancy with his chip shot and it ends up rolling back to his feet.

Faced with an identical chip to the one he just played, it's a better result for Schott, but he'll have eight-feet to save bogey.

COUSSAUD SETS THE TARGET

Ugo Coussaud sets the clubhouse target at 15-under, but it's a case of what could have been for the Frenchman.

Level-par through eight holes, he goes birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie-birdie through the ninth to the 13th, but a bogey at the 17th means he will, likely, be a few shots shy in Bahrain.

SERGIO LEADS

He hasn't won on the DP World Tour since 2019, but Garcia leads in Bahrain after Schott misses his bogey putt.

Garcia 17-under, while there's now a four-way share of second!

HOW GARCIA HAS MOVED INTO CONTENTION

BIRDIE FOR HILL

Excellent from Hill, who hasn't had his best stuff today. At the par 3 12th, the Scot puts his approach to eight-foot, and he is able to roll it in to share the lead with Garcia at 17-under.

REED AND SCHOTT JOIN THE LEADERS

Shortly after Hill makes birdie, his playing partner, Schott, also birdies the 12th following a classy tee shot.

Not to be outdone, Reed plays a superb chip at the par 5 13th and taps-in for birdie to make it a four-way tie at the top of the leaderboard at 17-under.

BIG MISTAKE FROM THE LEADER

Garcia has a great yardage into the green at the par 5 14th but, with a wedge in-hand, the Spaniard plays an uncharacteristically poor approach that goes long.

Faced with a difficult chip, he chunks it short and rams his lengthy par putt well-by the hole. He has 10-feet coming back for bogey, and that is not close. A double bogey now means he is two back at 15-under.

BIRDIES FOR THE FINAL GROUP

BIRDIES AT THE 13TH

Both Schott and Hill play excellent approach shots into the par 5 13th and both their eagle attempts scare the hole.

Tapping-in for birdies, they move to 18-under, while Reed plays a delightful approach at the par 5 14th, with the Major winner setting-up a third straight birdie that would move him back into a share of the lead.

FORREST STRUGGLING AT THE 14TH

Finding the waste area with his second shot, Grant Forrest is faced with a tough third, which he chunks into the greenside bunker.

The Scot will need to get up-and-down to remain at 16-under, but has his work cut-out with what is a plugged lie in the sand.

GARCIA BIRDIES THE HARDEST HOLE

He's not out of it yet... After a poor double bogey, Garcia bounces back incredibly at the par 4 15th, which is the hardest hole on the course.

Finding the fairway with his drive, Garcia comes up half-a-club shy with his approach, but his 25-footer for birdie never looks anywhere else as it slams the back of the hole and drops to move him to 16-under.

REED CONVERTS

After his excellent third into the par 5 14th, Reed converts and that's four birdies in his last five holes.

He's now in a share of the lead with Schott and Hill, with the former finding the wasteland with his tee shot on the 14th, and Hill finding the fairway.

In terms of Forrest, he two putts for bogey at the 14th and isn't best pleased as he drops to 15-under.

NICE SLICE OF LUCK FOR REED

Playing the 15th, Reed's tee shot is pushed right but hits the upslope and vaults into the fairway, leaving himself a nice angle in to attack the flag.

WHAT A SHOT FROM REED

Wow! What a shot from the American!

I said he had a good angle into the flag and, at the par 4 15th, Reed's approach almost falls for an eagle.

Sliding by the right-side, the former Masters winner will have around six-feet to re-take the lead at 19-under, which will be a big move on the hardest hole on the course.

PARS AT THE 14TH

Both Hill and Schott play average approach shots into the par 5 14th and, with their birdie attempts, they don't scare the hole.

The final pair make a par and remain at 18-under, with both men now walking to the treacherous 15th.

CHANCE MISSED

His putter hasn't been working well today and, at the 15th, Reed's birdie putt from six-foot is always left and slides-by.

It's a par for the American, but following that incredible approach, you feel that's yet another chance missed as he remains in a three-way share of the lead.

FAIRWAYS FOUND FOR THE FINAL GROUP

Hill pounds his fairway wood down the middle of the fairway at the 15th, while Schott produces a huge tee shot with a mini driver, which leaves him around 150 yards in.

Up ahead, Forrest converts his birdie putt at the 15th following a delightful approach. He is now 16-under and in a three-way share of third alongside Hillier and Garcia.

DIFFICULT TWO PUTTS COMING UP

Forrest and Reed are on the par 3 16th tee box and, with their shots, both come up well short, leaving incredibly difficult two putts for par.

WHO IS YOUR MONEY ON?

Image 1 of 3

GAME OVER FOR SERGIO?

Playing an excellent approach to the par 4 17th, Garcia's birdie putt looks like it might drop in the left-side, but it doesn't break enough and slides-by.

That's a par for the Spaniard and, sitting at 16-under, he's two back of the leaders with his race, likely, run.

SCHOTT JUST MISSES

Schott plays a nice approach into the 15th and, with Hill missing his birdie attempt, it's a chance for him to take the outright lead.

Hitting his putt, though, it's always weak and short, with a tap-in par keeping Schott 18-under. In the group, Hill calmly converts his par to remain at the same score.

REED FALLS TO 17-UNDER

Big mistake from Reed, who can't two putt from distance at the par 3 16th.

Hitting his first attempt short, his putt from eight-foot slides-by, with another missed putt costing the American. He falls to 17-under and, to make matters worse, he finds the bunker with his tee shot at the 17th.

GETTING TENSE

Both Schott and Hill find the green at the par 3 16th, with Hill slightly closer and on the correct tier.

Reed, meanwhile, plays a great shot from the fairway bunker that almost finds the front edge of the green.

PARS AT THE 16TH

Both Schott and Hill lag their putts up excellently at the 16th, with both making steady pars to remain in front at 18-under.

GARCIA FINISHES AT 16-UNDER

Garcia makes par at the 17th and 18th to finish his round with a four-under 68 and a tournament total of 16-under-par.

That double bogey at the par 5 14th will prove very costly for the Spaniard, who currently sits in a share of fourth with Hillier and Forrest.

A GOOD PAR FOR REED

Once again, Reed's first putt comes up short at the 17th, but the American rolls in a four-footer for par to remain at 17-under.

A birdie at the last will set the clubhouse target at 18-under, and perhaps put some pressure on Schott and Hill, who have both found the fairway at the par 4 17th.

POSITION Z FOR HILL

The pin on the 17th is in a horrid position and, from 180 yards, Hill pulls his approach left and is faced with a horrible up-and-down for par.

SCHOTT FOLLOWS HIM

Schott is a lot closer to the flag than Hill was; however, with a wedge in hand, the German pulls it left and misses the green.

He is closer to the hole, but it's another difficult chip coming up for the 23-year-old, who shares the lead with Hill at 18-under.

EXCELLENT FROM REED

Finding the fairway at the last hole, Reed produces a lovely iron shot that finishes around 15-foot left of the flag. He will have that for birdie, and to move to 18-under.

VERY GOOD FROM THE LEADERS

Although Schott and Hill are in horrendous positions for their third shots at the 17th, both men play excellent recoveries and leave themselves good looks at par to remain ahead.

SCHOTT BLINKS, HILL DOESN'T

Schott is up first and, with his par putt, he rams it through the break and it misses on the right-side.

Hill, meanwhile, makes a stunning up-and-down to lead by a single stroke at 18-under. Reed is up on the 18th green, and does have a putt to tie that score.

ANOTHER NEAR MISS

If Reed could putt today he would have won this by four... Instead, his missed birdie putt at the last gives him a 17-under total and the clubhouse target.

Schott is 17-under, while Hill is 18-under. If both men par the 72nd hole it will be the latter who takes the title.

FAIRWAYS FOUND AT THE LAST

After backing off the tee shot a few times, Hill eventually pulls the trigger and finds the fairway on the left-side. He will have around 205 yards into the green, so is well back of the flag at the last.

Schott, meanwhile, opens the shoulders and lets fly with the mini driver. He will have around 170 yards into the flag from the center of the fairway.

REED SETS THE CLUBHOUSE TARGET

BIG PUTTS INCOMING

Hill is up first and, with 6-iron in-hand, the Scot pulls it well left. He finds the green, but that is a near-impossible two-putt coming up for Hill.

In terms of Schott, he also pulls his approach left, albeit not as much. He needs a birdie, but I can't see him holing it from there, some 60-feet away.

WE COULD SEE A CHIP HERE...

It's a near impossible putt for Hill, so we could see him chip from the green here. I doubt he will, but it might be the more sensible option to get the ball close.

HILL WILL HAVE 25-FOOT TO WIN

It wasn't a bad effort from Hill, who had to set that putt out a near 10-foot wide of the green.

Hitting a sprinkler, he finishes around 25-foot from the hole, and will have an uphill putt coming up to win a third DP World Tour title.

TO A PLAYOFF WE GO

After watching Schott miss his putt, Hill has a chance to win, but his par putt is short and right with a closing bogey giving him a 17-under tournament total.

Schott, meanwhile, calmly holes his four-footer for par to also finish 17-under. It means that Patrick Reed, Schott and Hill head to a playoff.

A REPEAT OF LAST YEAR

TEE SHOTS

Here we go then!

Up first is Reed and, with driver in-hand, the favorite pulls his tee shot left and into the bunker.

Hill is up next and, with fairway wood, he finishes on the left-side of the fairway, slightly further back than where he was in regulation play.

Schott is last to go, with his mini driver continuing to perform superbly as he pounds one down the center stripe.

It's advantage to the German.

HILL AND SCHOTT FIND THE GREEN, REED IN TROUBLE

Better from Hill, who is substantially closer than his approach in regulation play. From 195 yards, the Scot puts his long-iron to the center of the green, leaving 35-feet for birdie.

Reed is up next and, from the sand, his second hits the lip and splatters out to the right. He is well back and will have a tough up-and-down incoming.

Schott is the final player to play and, once again, he has the marginal advantage, with his second finishing narrowly inside Hill's.

Hill and Schott will have puts to, potentially, win.

NOT BAD FROM REED

It's a tricky third for Reed from the thick rough and, although it's down the flag, it comes up short. He will have 20-foot to save par, which he will, likely, need to hole to stay in this.

SCHOTT AND HILL PAR, REED MAKES BOGEY

Schott is first up and, from distance, his par attempt comes up a few rolls short, with a par meaning Hill has a chance to win the title.

From a similar spot, Hill's attempt is tentative and comes up a few feet shy. It's a knee-knocker to extend the playoff, and Hill will need to wait a little longer as Reed has his putt coming up.

Needing to hole it, Reed's putt is bang online, but it grazes the edge and he will not claim back-to-back titles following his Dubai Desert Classic win last week.

Hill, meanwhile, needs to hole his putt for the par, which he does comfortably. Him and Schott will head back up the 18th.

SECOND PLAYOFF HOLE

After a lengthy wait, it's time for the second playoff and it's a disaster for Hill, who pulls his tee shot miles left and out of bounds!

It's Schott's too lose now, and he almost does a good job of it as his tee shot is right and towards the water. Thankfully, it manages to stay on grass and he should have a line into the green.

Loading up again, Hill finds the left-side of the fairway, but will be playing four from there.

ADVANTAGE SCHOTT

He may have found a slightly older sand divot, but it's Schott's trophy, surely? A par will do, unless Hill does the unthinkable and holes out.

THIS ISN'T OVER... OKAY IT MIGHT BE

All Schott has to do is hit the center of the green and two-putt, but that task has become slightly more difficult as the German pushes his approach right and short sides himself.

Hill needs to make a birdie with his provisional, but the dreaded shank comes from the Scot, whose head must be scrambled right now... It hits the scoreboard and drops into the water.

GOOD RECOVERY FROM HILL

The next shot after a shank is always the hardest and, to be fair to Hill, he does hit a nice wedge to 15-feet. It won't be good enough, as Hill will be putting for a double bogey.

Schott is playing his third from off the green, and chips it to around eight-feet. He'll have two to win it.

FREDDY SCHOTT WINS THE BAHRAIN CHAMPIONSHIP

A CONCEDED PLAYOFF

You don't see that very often. After watching Schott chip-up to eight-feet, Hill concedes the playoff and that hands Schott the victory.

It may not have been pretty, but the 23-year-old gets over the line and claims the Bahrain Championship with rounds of 65, 67, 70 and 69.

THE WINNING MOMENT