SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — The legend of Scottie Scheffler keeps growing, and the latest addition is golden.
World No. 1 Scheffler caught fire on the back nine at Le Golf National, coming from off the pace to swipe the gold medal for Team USA from a group of elite contenders in the final holes of a enthralling Paris Olympics competition.
Opening the final round four shots back of the leaders, Scheffler tied a course record by firing a 9-under 62 on Sunday. He birdied his first three holes of the afternoon and then six of nine after the turn, including a pivotal run of four in a row to seize a place atop the leaderboard that he wouldn’t lose.
“I would say first and foremost I’m proud of the country I’m from. I’m proud to be American. I got emotional the other night watching the gold medal ceremony for the women’s gymnastics. I take tremendous pride in coming over here and representing my country,” he said after his round. “When you go to a sporting event, you hear everybody in the stands singing the National Anthem, it’s a pretty special thing to be a part of, and I think that’s something we take tremendous pride in. It was just very emotional being up there on stage there as the flag is being raised and sitting there singing the National Anthem. Yes, that’s definitely one I’ll remember for a long time.”
Scheffler’s tournament total of 19 under beat silver-medalist Tommy Fleetwood of Great Britain by one shot. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (17 under) won the bronze medal.
In his first Olympics, Scheffler, 28, hadn’t been thrilled with how he’d played the first three rounds, but he’d played well enough to stay without shouting distance. Eventually, he stepped up while other top players stumbled down the stretch. Spain’s Jon Rahm – who led by four strokes at one point Sunday – played holes No. 11 through No. 14 at 4 over, making a costly double bogey on 14.
Ireland’s Rory McIlroy hit it into the water on No. 15. That was a costly double bogey for him.
Meanwhile, Scheffler took the solo lead with a 17-foot birdie putt on No. 17, one stroke ahead of Fleetwood, who still had three holes remaining. After a birdie on the par-3 16th to catch Scheffler, Fleetwood drove it into the deep rough on No. 17. From off the green, he chipped a poor third shot too far past the hole and bogeyed to slip to 18 under. Scheffler was on the driving range, preparing for a possible playoff, as Fleetwood missed the green on No. 18 and couldn’t chip in for a birdie.
It was the second Olympic golf gold medal in a row for the U.S. men, with Scheffler matching teammate Xander Schauffele’s gold from Tokyo.
Schauffele opened Sunday’s round tied for the lead but unraveled in the final 11 holes. He bogeyed No. 8. Then on No. 12 and No. 13, wayward drives into the rough led to bogeys, and a double bogey on No. 15 ended dwindling chances for a medal.
Another American – Wyndham Clark – who’d been largely forgotten since shooting a first-round 75, closed with consecutive 65s to go to 11 under for tournament. It was an encouraging weekend for a player who had been struggling of late. And the USA’s Collin Morikawa couldn’t get much going this week, shooting three 70s to finish at 6 under.
Fleetwood came up short of forcing a playoff for gold, but said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
“I said it a bunch of times this week, just as a young boy that was taking up the game of golf, none of us here had the chance to dream of being an Olympian or winning an Olympic medal. So it was never on our agenda until golf finally got in,” he said. “That quickly changes when you’re part of the Olympics. It feels unbelievably special. I know I didn’t win Gold today, and a very good golfer did. Standing on that podium with a medal in front of the crowd was one of the most amazing moments I’ve had as a golfer.”
Source: Golfweek
