Gurugram: Germany's Freddy Schott is making a name for himself in the golf world, despite being just 24 years old. Mentored by compatriot Marcel Siem, a six-time winner in Europe, Schott lost his card in 2023 but regained it by topping Q-School. He achieved his first DP World Tour win in February, clinching a three-way playoff at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship.
On Thursday, Schott produced a brilliant 6-under 66 on a tough set-up to take a one-shot clubhouse lead in Round 1 of the $2.55mn Hero Indian Open DP World Tour event at the DLF Golf and Country Club course. He bounced back from a first bogey on the 14th and on the 17th, leaving him beaming.
Spain's Eugenio Chacarra, the 26-year-old defending champion, began strongly with a 5-under 67 to be second. He briefly shared the clubhouse lead before Schott birdied the par-5 18th hole. Chacarra stumbled with two bogeys that left him one-over after five holes, but he had seven birdies in all, six of them in the last 12 bogey-free holes.
England's Dan Bradbury shot 68 to be the clubhouse leader after the morning set had finished. There were 31 players with sub-par rounds, including Scotland's Grant Forrest, who caught fire by reeling off an incredible six birdies in a row on his back nine before dropping three shots to card a 2-under 70.
Akshay Bhatia, one of the early starters, went a disastrous eight-over in the first nine before battling back with a bogey-free 3-under on the back nine. At 5-over for the tournament, the American world No.22 was hopeful of fighting back to make the cut.
