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Team USA’s Scottie Scheffler carded a closing 62 that included an impressive run of four consecutive birdies on the back nine to win gold at the 2024 Olympics, continuing his season of production.
On a day at Le Golf National outside Paris where many of the world’s greatest golfers had only one prize to spare, Scheffler organized one of the world’s greatest golfers. ever seen by the game. He started the day four shots behind the lead and was six over at the time. But he fired one of the best late Sundays of the year, carding a 29 to go 19-under in pursuit of gold.
Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood (-18) won silver, and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (-17) took bronze.
Paris 2024 marked golf’s true debut on the Olympic stage. After a break of 112 years, the return of the Rio Olympics was affected by the Zika virus scare, which kept the big names of the sport at home, and the galleries empty Tokyo 2021 did nothing to boost the sports image. . This year in Paris, the galleries were everywhere in the hills of Le Golf National, and the effect was strong.
“You don’t get this level at the Masters. It’s different. I think it’s more fun than something big. It’s like a party in a way,” Ireland’s Rory McIlroy said on Saturday. “I’m feeling French this week, the amount of ‘Allez, Rory’ I’ve had has been fantastic.
Earlier, Spain’s Jon Rahm rode that Sunday race to the top of the leaderboard. He and 2020 gold medalist Xander Schauffele of the United States entered the final round at Le Golf National tied at -14, with Fleetwood one back. Eleven athletes were within four bronze medals, giving most of the field a shot at a medal.
After 10 holes, Rahm appeared to have locked up the gold, leading the field by four strokes. But then came a reminder that the Olympics have a way of keeping everyone on their toes. Rahm birdied the par-3 11th at about the same time as Fleetwood and Matsuyama were teeing off, and suddenly the four-stroke lead became two. .
One hole later, again within minutes, Fleetwood birdied the 12th as Rahm soared, and now Rahm’s lead was completely gone. With six holes left to play, Matsuyama stood one stroke behind at -17, and McIlroy, riding a four-birdie streak, was one stroke off the tee. scores at -16.
The most impressive player on the back nine, at least from the website’s perspective, was Frenchman Victor Perez, who rode consecutive runs of four birdies and an eagle to reach the lead. two lead ropes. Everything he did on the field excited the restless Olympic crowd, and the prospect of a medal was tantalizingly close.
Another player of particular interest on Sunday: Tom Kim, who had a lot more to play for than just a little iron. If Kim had won the award, he would have been released from 18 to 21 months of mandatory military service for South Korea. He came as close as one stroke out of medal position, but ended up stumbling in the clubhouse and finishing -14.
Early leaders out: Schauffele, who birdied 12 and 13 to fall four strokes off the lead. Other major winners have had better luck; McIlroy’s 49-foot eagle putt on 14 ended up in the hole, allowing him to drop to -17 and one shot off the lead. Scheffler’s approach on the water-protected 15th rolled to within an inch, and his shot on the 16th was within birdie range; two birdies later and he was tied for the lead at -18.
However, McIlroy soon followed Schauffele down the leaderboard when his tee shot to the 15th went off the green and into the water, leading to a two-putt. around me. Behind him, Rahm struggled on the 14th and made two bogeys to drop two strokes off the lead.
So with four holes left for the leaders, Scheffler and Fleetwood led at -18, Matsuyama was behind at -17. Rahm and Perez stand at -16, and McIlroy and Kim are at -15.
Perez claimed a clubhouse lead of -16 in front of a wild crowd, carding a back-nine 29. Scheffler birdied a 17-foot 17 for his fourth birdie. consecutive to take the lead solo -19. Shortly after, Fleetwood birdied the 16th to tie for the lead. Rahm also holed a long birdie on 16 to stop the bleeding on the back nine and get to -17, even with Matsuyama.
Scheffler’s birdie putt on 18 – which would have set an Olympic and Le Golf National record – slipped after the hole. He struck out in style and entered the clubhouse with a -19 and an award.
That left Fleetwood, Rahm and Matusyama in the medal hunt. Matsuyama was unable to finish the day with a birdie on the 18th, ending the day at -17. Fleetwood’s long par putt on 17 rolled wide, leaving him at -18 heading into the final hole. Rahm also bogeyed the hole, falling to -16 and out of the hunt.
So with one hole to play, Fleetwood needed a par for silver, a birdie to force a playoff for gold. Rahm needed a birdie to force a playoff for bronze. Fleetwood’s drive went long and left, and Rahm’s ended up short of the flag. After Fleetwood missed his third shot, the gold medal went to Scheffler.
Rahm missed his par putt, leaving him just one shot away from the podium. Fleetwood was able to nail his par putt, keeping him ahead of Matsuyama for silver.
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