Scheffler clinches Olympic gold in nail-biting finish with a score of 62

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — Scottie Scheffler produced his finest performance of the year by coming from four shots behind on Sunday with a 9-under 62 to secure the Olympic gold medal in men’s golf in an exciting match at Le Golf National.

Already a six-time champion on the PGA Tour this year, including his second Masters victory, Scheffler added Olympic gold to an incredible season with a round that kept approximately 30,000 fans on edge for a thrilling final two hours.

The top-ranked player in the world equaled the course record at Le Golf National and still required significant assistance.

Jon Rahm of Spain held a four-shot advantage over Tommy Fleetwood of England as he approached the 11th tee. Fleetwood quickly caught up in two holes as Rahm experienced a shocking collapse, beginning with a three-putt bogey from 30 feet.

This presented an opportunity for six players — including Victor Perez of France, who came within one shot of the podium and had the French crowd ecstatic as he played a five-hole stretch in 6 under to surge into contention.

However, it was Scheffler who surged to the forefront with four consecutive birdies down the final stretch, with a particularly memorable moment being an 8-iron shot out of deep rough on the 17th hole and a successful 18-foot birdie putt to assume the lead for the first time all day.

He established an Olympic record for 72 holes at 19-under 265.

Fleetwood, who relinquished the lead with a bogey from the rough on the 17th, managed to salvage par on the final hole for a 66 to secure the silver medal. The bronze was awarded to Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who was in the hunt on the back nine until finishing with six consecutive pars for a 65.

Scheffler is now the second consecutive American to claim gold in men’s golf, following Xander Schauffele in the Tokyo Games.

Schauffele was tied for the lead after 54 holes with Rahm until he experienced a downfall of his own, slipping back with a bogey on the 12th from deep rough and another on the 13th when an errant shot from the high grass landed in the water. He shot 73 and finished tied for ninth.

“He’s been accumulating trophies consistently and distancing himself from the pack of competitors chasing him worldwide,” Schauffele remarked. “When I set aside my competitive mindset and embrace my American pride, I am ecstatic that we have secured another gold medal.”

Rory McIlroy of Ireland, concluded his 10th consecutive year without a major, joining the mix as he launched the back nine with five consecutive birdies. He was one stroke off the lead, positioned in the middle of the 15th fairway with a wedge in hand. This is where everything went awry.

His shot fell short and landed in the water, resulting in a double bogey and extinguishing his chances. He settled for three pars and a 66 to tie for fifth with Rahm.

However, it was the Spaniard who had the opportunity to claim gold, only to return to Saudi-funded LIV Golf empty-handed. He missed a 4-foot par putt on the 11th. He failed to find the fairway on the 12th. And his game truly unraveled on the par-5 14th.

Rahm veered left off the fairway and had to lay up. His 8-iron shot landed in the one spot he couldn’t afford, to the left of the green in more rough. His pitch up the slope fell short and rolled back down. He chipped the ball about 4 feet past the hole and then missed the subsequent bogey putt.

In an instant, he fell two shots behind and was unable to catch up. Rahm carded 31 on the front and 39 on the back, finishing with two bogeys.

“The moment you make an errant golf shot, this golf course will exact a penalty,” he remarked.

Scheffler displayed sheer brilliance with his top performance of the year, a 62 that equaled the best final round of his career. He began with three consecutive birdies to make his mark. He secured a pair of 12-foot birdies in the early stages of the back nine.

Then, Scheffler excelled — executing a challenging up-and-down for birdie on the 14th, landing a wedge to within a foot for a tap-in birdie on the 15th, hitting a tee shot to 8 feet on the par-3 16th to tie for the lead. And finally, displaying a rare outburst of emotion when his 18-foot birdie putt dropped on the 17th.

That proved to be the winning shot as Fleetwood, who birdied the 16th to share the lead, landed his tee shot in the same thick rough where Scheffler had previously found himself. Fleetwood’s shot came out hot and went over the green, resulting in a 20-foot pitch past the hole.

The consolation prize was the silver medal, the second men’s golf medal for Britain since golf was reintroduced to the Olympics in 2016. Justin Rose clinched gold in Rio de Janeiro.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games