SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — Scottie Scheffler capped off his senior year with a four-under par Sunday with a 9-under 62 to win the Olympic gold medal in men’s golf in a thriller in Le Golf. Nationally.
Already a six-time winner on the PGA Tour this year, including his second Masters title, Scheffler added Olympic gold to a surprising season with a round that kept some 30,000 fans on edge for the final two hours.
The world number 1 has had a lot of help. Spain’s Jon Rahm had a four-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood entering the 11th. Fleetwood caught him in two holes as the Spaniard suffered a spectacular fall.
That opened the door for six players — including France’s Victor Perez, who moved into one spot.
But it was Scheffler who drove in four straight birdies down the fairway, none bigger than draining a deep shot on the 17th hole and making an 18-foot birdie putt to take the lead for the first time all day.
He shot an Olympic-record 72 holes in 19-under 265. Fleetwood, who took the lead with a bogey on the 17th, rallied to even par the final hole in 66 to win the silver medal. .
The bronze went to Hideki Matsuyama, who combined on the back nine to close with six straight pars of 65.
Scheffler becomes the second straight American to win gold in men’s golf, following Xander Schauffele at the Tokyo Games.
Schauffele was tied for the 54-hole lead with Rahm until he fell. So did Rory McIlroy, another leader who went into the water on the 15th hole.
Source link
