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Team USA’s Scottie Scheffler shot a final-round 62, including a stunning run of four consecutive birdies on the final nine holes, to win gold at the 2024 Olympics, continuing his generational season.
On a day at Le Golf National near Paris when so many of today’s greats had one hand on a medal before letting it slip away, Scheffler orchestrated one of the greatest comebacks the game has ever seen. He started the day four shots off the lead and was six shots back at the turn. But he then shot one of the best back nines of the year, carding a 29 to reach 19 under par and win the gold.
Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood (-18) won silver and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (-17) took bronze.
The Paris 2024 Games marked golf’s true emergence on the Olympic stage. After a 112-year absence, the sport’s return to the Rio Olympics was marred by fears of the Zika virus, which forced many of the sport’s big names to stay home. The empty galleries in Tokyo 2021 did little to boost the sport’s profile. This year in Paris, the galleries were spread across the rolling hills of Le Golf National, and the effect was powerful.
“You don’t get that vibe at the Masters. It’s different. I think it’s a little bit more fun than a major. It’s a bit of a celebration in a way,” Irishman Rory McIlroy said Saturday. “I feel French this week, the number of times I heard ‘Allez, Rory’ on the course. It was really cool.”
Jon Rahm of Spain took advantage of that momentum Sunday to take the lead. He and 2020 gold medalist Xander Schauffele of the United States entered the final round at Le Golf National tied at 14-under par, with Fleetwood a shot behind. Eleven players were four shots away from bronze, giving much of the field a chance to win a medal.
After 10 holes, Rahm seemed certain to win gold, four shots ahead of the rest of the field. But then he remembered that the Olympics have a way of keeping everyone on their toes. Rahm three-putted the par-3 11th at almost the same time Fleetwood and Matsuyama birdied their holes, and suddenly the four-shot lead turned into two.
A hole later, within minutes of each other, Fleetwood birdied the 12th hole while Rahm bogeyed, and Rahm’s lead was gone. With six holes to go, Matsuyama was one shot back at 17-under, and McIlroy, on a four-birdie streak, was one shot back at 16-under.
The most intriguing player on the final nine holes, at least from the gallery’s perspective, was France’s Victor Perez, who had a run of four consecutive birdies and an eagle to move to within two shots of the lead. His every move on the course drew cheers from the relaxed Olympic crowd, and the prospect of a medal seemed imminent.
One player of particular interest Sunday: Tom Kim, who had more to gain than just a little metal. Had Kim won a medal, he would have been exempt from 18 to 21 months of mandatory military service in South Korea. He was one shot away from a medal spot, but ended up tripping in the clubhouse and finishing -14.
The first of the leaders to break was Schauffele, who made bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes to fall within four shots of the lead. Other major winners had better luck; McIlroy’s 49-foot eagle putt on the 14th hole ended up within tap-in range, dropping him to 17-under and one shot behind the lead. Scheffler’s chip to the water-protected 15th rolled within inches, and his tee shot on the 16th hole was within birdie range; two birdies later, he was tied for the lead at 18-under.
But shortly after, McIlroy followed Schauffele down the leaderboard when his shot on the 15th hole went off the green and into the water, resulting in a fatal double bogey. Behind him, Rahm struggled on the 14th hole and made a double bogey, falling two shots behind the lead.
With four holes remaining for the leaders, Scheffler and Fleetwood shared the lead at -18, Matsuyama was a hole back at -17. Rahm and Perez were at -16, and McIlroy and Kim were at -15.
Perez took the clubhouse lead at 16-under in front of a delirious crowd, finishing with a 29 over the final nine holes. Scheffler then made a 17-footer on the 17th for his fourth straight birdie and took the solo lead at 19-under. Fleetwood birdied the 16th shortly after to tie the lead. Rahm also made a long birdie on the 16th to stop the bleeding on the final nine holes and reach 17-under, tied with Matsuyama.
Scheffler’s birdie putt on the 18th, which would have set an Olympic record and a Le Golf National record, slid just wide of the hole. He made a nervous par and entered the clubhouse at 19-under and a medal almost certain.
Fleetwood, Rahm and Matusyama were out on the course looking for a medal. Matsuyama failed to birdie the 18th hole, ending the day at -17. Fleetwood’s long putt on the 17th hole went just wide, leaving him at -18 heading into the final hole. Rahm also bogeyed the hole, dropping to -16 and out of medal contention.
With one hole left, Fleetwood needed a par for silver, and a birdie to force a playoff for gold. Rahm needed a birdie to force a playoff for bronze. Fleetwood’s approach was long and left, and Rahm’s shot ended up wide of the pin. After Fleetwood missed his third shot, the gold medal went to Scheffler.
Rahm missed his par putt, which left him one shot ahead of the podium. Fleetwood managed to hole his par putt, which kept him one shot ahead of Matsuyama for the silver medal.
