Freddy Schott may not want to be at the DP World Tour Qualifying School Final Stage but now he is the German is determined to win it.
At INFINITUM 12 months ago, Schott produced five rounds in the 60s to get to 27 under, hold off the challenge of Filippo Celli and secure his DP World Tour card for 2024.
In South Korea two weeks ago, he started the week at 114th on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, occupying the final spot for players to hold onto those hard-earned playing rights.
But a missed cut at the Genesis Championship saw him fall the wrong side of the line and he is now back in Tarragona looking to repeat his 2023 heroics.
"I took some time off last week which was much needed so I come into this week with high hopes again and trying to defend the title nobody wants to defend," he said.
"It was a strange one. I got there (Korea) Tuesday morning and everything was feeling a bit not in rhythm or sync. I was trying to do my best, it wasn't good enough and I simply missed the cut and then I knew, if I missed the cut I wasn't going to stay inside the cards so everything was basically done after the Friday.
"Back home I wasn't really feeling it so I took some time off and tried to focus on a new challenge.
"All I know is I'm here to get my card again and that is all I care about at the moment."
He added: "It's still cool I must admit. It's a place where I won so it's always going to have a special place in my heart. If I say it's a title no-one wants to defend, I'm probably not right with that because I want to defend it.
"It's a great place, it's a course that suits me, especially the Lakes but the Hills as well so it's cool to be back."
Schott is hoping the key to success is familiarity as he looks to not only repeat the habits from last year but also try to treat the six-round marathon of Final Stage like any other event.
"There are some little notes that I have in my book that I rely on," he said.
"I book the apartment that I stayed in last year, these are my little things that I rely on. I've got my coach with me again this year, who was there last year every day.
"It's more little mental things that I really care about and I know it's going to be a good time if I can do my homework.
"You want to do well every week and of course you want to do well here because that's your year for next year but at the end of the day you just have to treat it as a tournament and do the best you can."
