It’s been a tumultuous past few months for Scottie Scheffler, but the effects have yet to be felt on the golf course.
Scheffler was undoubtedly the best player in the world when he entered Le Golf National on Sunday. The American shot 62 to finish at 19-under par to win his first gold medal, beating Tommy Fleetwood by one stroke and giving Team USA its 15th gold medal in Paris.
It was Scheffler’s seventh win of the season, but perhaps his most memorable moment wasn’t winning the green jacket, but getting arrested for a traffic violation at the PGA Championship and then ultimately saving his tee time at Valhalla to finish in a tie for eighth.
But he is certainly a favorite to win his first Olympic gold medal.
Scheffler entered Sunday already in good form, having made three birdies in his final six holes on Saturday to move to within four strokes of the leader.
That momentum picked up where he left off on Sunday, as Scheffler birdied his first three holes and then birdied six of his final nine holes without a bogey to take the lead.
2024 Paris Olympics
To win the gold medal, Scheffler will have to nervously watch as Fleetwood finishes behind him and heads into the 18th hole one stroke behind the leader.
However, the Briton missed a long birdie putt on the final hole and had to settle for second place and the silver medal.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama shot 65 on Sunday to finish with the bronze medal.
Spain’s Jon Rahm was five under par through the first nine holes Sunday and looked in position to challenge for the gold medal, but collapsed after the turn with three bogeys and a double bogey.
As a result, Rahm missed out on a medal along with France’s Victor Perez, who shot 63 on Sunday to move into contention for the win despite leading by four strokes early in the day.
