Scottie Scheffler clinched Olympic gold with a remarkable comeback victory. Entering the final round of men’s Olympic golf at France’s Le Golf National, the world’s No. 1 golfer was four shots behind fellow American Xander Schauffele and Spain’s Jon Rahm.
Scheffler’s fortunes turned dramatically in the final nine holes, where he scored six birdies. His nearly flawless performance propelled him to the top of the Olympic podium, securing gold for the United States. England’s Tommy Fleetwood claimed silver, while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama took bronze.
The reigning Masters champion gained early momentum on Sunday, birdying his first hole with a 10-foot putt. Despite several birdies, Scheffler remained four strokes behind Rahm after ten holes. However, Rahm’s lead crumbled with a series of bogeys and a double-bogey on the last few holes. In contrast, Scheffler was unstoppable, climbing the leaderboard with consecutive birdies on holes 14 through 17. His fourth consecutive birdie on the 17th green ultimately secured his victory.
Scheffler’s Olympic triumph caps off an eventful year both professionally and personally. In April, he won his second green jacket at the Masters in Augusta, Georgia. Shortly afterward, he welcomed his first child, Bennett, with his wife, Meredith. Amid these joyous events, Scheffler faced legal trouble when he was arrested and charged with a felony for assaulting a police officer with his vehicle during the PGA Championship in Louisville. The charges were dropped in late May after Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell deemed the incident “a big misunderstanding.”
On June 18, Scheffler was selected for the USA Olympic golf team, alongside three other golfers. His victory marks the second consecutive Olympic gold for the men’s USA team, following Xander Schauffele’s win at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
During the medal ceremony on Sunday, Scheffler was visibly emotional, shedding tears as “The Star-Spangled Banner” played.
