Freddy Schott celebrates first victory on the DP World Tour in Bahrain

A German golf fairytale in the desert: Freddy Schott secured his first title on the DP World Tour at the Bahrain Championship 2026. In a nerve-wracking play-off, the 24-year-old from Düsseldorf beat off stiff competition to celebrate the biggest milestone of his career to date.

The Royal Golf Club in Bahrain was the scene of a final on Sunday that was hard to beat in terms of drama. With a total score of 17 under Par after four rounds, the decision had to be made between three players in a play-off: German youngster Freddy Schott, Scottish long-hitter Calum Hill and US star Patrick Reed, who had made headlines in the past few days by announcing that he was leaving LIV Golf.

Here you can find the complete final results of the 2026 Bahrain Championship of the DP World Tour.

Freddy Schott proves his mental strength on the DP World Tour

The fact that Schott even made it into the play-off was down to his impressive mental strength. After a solid start, he experienced a major setback on the eleventh hole. A mis-hit tee shot led to a bitter double Bogey. In this critical phase, the German showed tactical maturity: instead of taking the shuttle to the next hole, he opted for a walk to clear his head.

"These are the moments you play golf for - so try to put the pedal to the metal," Schott later described his thoughts. The strategy worked. With Birdies at the 12th and 13th holes, he fought his way back to the top of the DP World Tour leaderboard.

The playoff drama: nerves flutter among the favorites

The play-off revealed the merciless side of golf. Patrick Reed was the first to bow out of the title race on the first extra hole. The former Masters winner, who is currently pushing for a return to the PGA Tour after retiring from the LIV, weakened in the Bunker and had to watch on with a Bogey as his rivals tackled the second hole.

What followed was like a sporting collapse for Calum Hill. The Scotsman, who had led the field for long stretches, miscued his tee shot onto the driving range. His frustration level rose further when his fourth shot landed in the water over a video wall. In a fair sporting gesture, Hill finally conceded the hole when Schott was safely on the green with his third shot.

Freddy Schott: An emotional breakthrough on the DP World Tour

For Schott, this victory is more than just a check for 467,500 US dollars. It is the confirmation of years of hard fighting for the right to play. "I have no words. It's just unbelievable," stammered a visibly moved Schott in the winner's interview as he fought back tears. He particularly emphasized the cooperation with his caddie Taka, who consistently distracted him during the round with non-golf-related topics to relieve the pressure.

The impact on the DP World Tour Ranking

This success catapults Schott from 436th in the world rankings well into the top 200. He also makes a huge move into the top 10 in the season ranking, the Race to Dubai. While Patrick Reed consolidates his second place in the rankings despite the defeat, the stage belongs solely to the German underdog this weekend. Schott has proven that he can not only play on the DP World Tour, but also has what it takes to be a champion.

The highlights of the DP World Tour in the video