Gold medalist Scottie Scheffler of the United States poses with his medal after the medal ceremony for men’s golf at the 2024 Summer Olympics on Sunday, Aug. 4.
Matt York/AP
hide caption
convert caption
Matt York/AP
Although it is World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler is a long shot at winning a gold medal heading into the men’s Olympic golf finals at France’s Le Golf National on Sunday. Off the tee, Scheffler is four strokes behind fellow American Xander Schauffele and Spain’s Jon Rahm.
That all changed after Scheffler made half a dozen birdies on the last nine holes of the French course. His near-perfect run put him atop the Olympic podium and won the gold medal for the United States — edging out Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood for silver and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama for bronze.
The reigning Masters champion started to build momentum on Sunday morning when he birdied the first hole with a 10-foot putt. But after 10 holes and a couple more birdies, Scheffler was still four strokes behind Rahm, who seemed destined for Olympic gold.
However, the Spaniard quickly lost the lead with a couple of bogeys and a double-bogey on the last few holes. Scheffler, on the other hand, seemed unmissable. On holes 14 through 17, Scheffler continued to climb the leaderboard with birdie after birdie. It was his putt on the 17th hole — his fourth consecutive birdie — finally secured his victory.
Scheffler’s return to Olympic gold comes amid a tumultuous year professionally and personally for the 28-year-old. In April, Scheffler won his second green jacket at the Masters in Augusta, Ga. Soon after, his wife, Meredith Scheffler, gave birth to Bennett — their first child. Then, just days after the birth, Scheffler arrestwas handcuffed and charged with a felony for striking a police officer with his car in Louisville during the PGA Championship. The charges are reduce in late May after Jefferson County District Attorney Mike O’Connell agreed the incident was “a huge misunderstanding.”
Gold medalist Scottie Scheffler, center, with silver medalist Tommy Fleetwood, left, and bronze medalist Hideki Matsuyama listen to the U.S. national anthem during the medal ceremony for men’s golf.
George Walker IV/AP
hide caption
convert caption
George Walker IV/AP
On June 18, the U.S. Olympic golf team selected Scheffler along with three other golfers. Scheffler’s win was the second consecutive Olympic gold medal for the U.S. men’s team; teammate Xander Schauffele won it all at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
During the medal ceremony on Sunday, Scheffler was visibly emotional and broke down in tears as The Star Spangled Banner was played.
