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Hill takes lead into final round in Bahrain as Schott closes gap

rugby31 January 2026 15:37
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Calum Hill held off a Moving Day surge from Freddy Schott to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the 2026 Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship.

The Scot began Saturday four clear of the field after equalling the course record of 61 on Friday, but found himself behind at the turn as he made three early bogeys while his playing partner went out in 32.

A pair of bogeys for Schott at the 12th and 13th levelled matters once more and Hill birdied the next two to take advantage.

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Schott also birdied the 14th but the German's closing bogey saw Hill's lead swell back to two.

He said: "I actually felt like I played quite nicely, I just had a few errors in there and misjudged a couple of putts early on that put me behind a little bit. I managed to come back a little bit on the back nine and put myself in a good position for tomorrow.

"If at the start of the week you said I’d have a couple of shots going into Sunday, I’d be delighted.

"I knew there were some chances coming on the back nine; the par-fives are a chance, ten is a chance, but there were some really tough pins. It didn’t feel like a day where, personally, I could shoot really low.

"Level par, I would’ve liked a bit better than that at the start of the day but I’m also very happy with where I am.

"I know the lead slightly diminished a little bit, but I didn’t want to beat myself and I feel like now I’ve got back to par, it’s not the end of the world.

"Today’s work was decent – there was some good in there. Even though the score wasn’t as good as yesterday or the first day, it still felt pretty good."

Hill three-putted the second and also bogeyed the fourth and, though he got one back with a good approach to the fifth, his tee-shot at the next went close to the water leading to a third dropped shot.

Schott birdied the third and fifth, the latter after a wonderful approach shot, and a pair of gains going into the turn took him two shots ahead.

That lead evaporated as he bogeyed the 12th and twice found sand on the next, and his 15-footer for birdie at the 14th was matched by Hill who added another at the next.

Both players looked set to par their way home but Schott's approach to the last left him 50 feet from the pin and he was narrowly unable to get down in two, giving some breathing space to his rival.

Schott said: "I mean, I’m a little bit disappointed to three-putt on the last but it was a good day today. We will just keep doing what we’re doing, and we should be alright tomorrow.

"I just thought it might be a two-day thing – I might catch him in two days. Obviously, he was struggling a bit on the first few holes and I played really good, so all of a sudden, we were there together.

"I’m still following the plan of trying to catch him tomorrow so I’m looking forward to that. That would be amazing, but it’s a bit too early to think about that."

Patrick Reed was ominously poised at 12 under after a 66, the best round of the day along with that of Mikael Lindberg who was a shot behind him.

Reed, the winner of last week's Hero Dubai Desert Classic, had five birdies and an eagle at the 13th, set against a lone bogey at the difficult 16th.

Grant Forrest was alongside Reed after a similarly impressive 67 featuring six birdies and a bogey, while Sergio Garcia had five birdies, including three in a row from the ninth, before he too suffered his only dropped shot at the 16th.

Garcia's fellow Spaniards Nacho Elvira and Jorge Campillo were in the group at 11 under with Lindberg and Englishman Ben Schmidt, with eight players tied for tenth a further shot back.

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