– Freddy Schott (-7) is a young German player with an exuberant game who has been clinging onto his DP World Tour playing rights by the skin of his teeth for three years. In 2023, his debut year, he was set to lose them irretrievably, but then he won the final of the School and regained them. In 2024, he was just about hanging on until the last moment; and in 2025, he saved himself with a 17th place finish in the final tournament in Korea. Perhaps this is the year the Teuton makes the leap to the next level, judging by today’s performance in Bahrain: a stunning round of 65 in an afternoon session that was noticeably more challenging than the morning, due to the wind blowing stronger. A stunning round with a dream start at the 10th hole (six birdies in his first seven holes) and an explosive finish with a birdie on the 8th and an eagle on the 9th, a par 5.
– And what is that next level Schott could reach? Anyone knows in a sport where equality is supreme and a player can turn their career around like a sock in just two weeks. We’ve seen it so many times…
For now, let’s bring it down to earth: he has never even managed to finish among the top four in a DP World Tour tournament, although this week he is already leading the pack alongside the Spaniard Alejandro del Rey (-7) after the first round. Perhaps it would be good to start there: let’s see if he can manage all that exuberance (he is very aggressive on the course, only aiming for the flag) and secure his first podium week.
– Ángel Ayora (-2), Eugenio Chacarra (-2), Pablo Larrazábal (-1), and Iván Cantero (-1) have managed to outplay the course in this afternoon session, which was a bit more challenging due to the wind. They are not too far from the lead with so many holes to play, but they can’t afford to be complacent tomorrow, as it wouldn’t be surprising if the cut line hovered around -3.
– Patrick Reed (-1) began a new chapter in his career today, as it has been confirmed that he will not continue in LIV Golf. The American started in Bahrain as a favourite, but today he carded more bogeys than expected, up to four. Nonetheless, it would be wise to count on him for the weekend, even knowing that it might be necessary to reach a total of -18 or -20 to aspire to victory… The calculations aren’t easy, but Reed thrives on the challenge.
