At the men’s Olympic golf competition outside of Paris on Sunday, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler won his maiden gold medal, his seventh win of the year, and his thirteenth career victory in a star-studded family affair.
At Le Golf National, the normally unflappable Scheffler shed a few tears as he stood on the podium with his newest piece of hardware—the unmistakable glint of gold flashing in the bright sunshine—wife Meredith, their 3-month-old son Bennett, parents Scott and Diane, and in-laws present. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was playing in the background.
“It’s a very unique experience to be a part of when you attend a sporting event and hear everyone in the stands singing the national anthem. I believe that’s something we should be quite proud of. Being up on stage seeing the flag being hoisted and sitting there singing the national anthem was just really moving. Yes, it will undoubtedly stick in my memory for a while.”he said.
American teammates Wyndham Clark (who finished T24) and Collin Morikawa (who ended T14) were there to congratulate him. Arriving at the 18th green, Clark saw the soon-to-be Olympic champion complete an incredible 62, a perfect 9-under display of ability that tied the course record and moved him up to one stroke ahead of the competition from four shots behind.
World No. 3 Rory McIlroy of Team Ireland was also among the first to congratulate Scheffler. Despite missing the podium once more, McIlroy paused to give little Bennett a squeeze and said, “You’re going to get to chew on a gold medal soon.”
The vibrant and global audiences, which grew to a sell-out throng of 30,000 on Sunday, enhanced the mood and gave the day a boisterous vibe.
“The size of the throng on the first day really caught me off guard. You know, hearing the applause was awesome. It was rather amazing how they supported the French players this week. A few of the guys were discussing how the French players were receiving similar treatment as Tiger, with cheers and applause for each hole. Being a part of this occasion was wonderful.”he said.
After stating he was “distracted” on Friday, Scheffler made sure to give thanks to his trusted caddy and wingman Ted Scott, who he depended on more than normal over the week. During the second round, he requested Scott to assist him with reading greens beginning on the back nine, and he gave Scott credit for helping him focus the rest of the week.
“This week, I think I became more frustrated at times than usual. I felt like I was doing a lot of things well and sometimes I wasn’t getting much out of it, so it was a very difficult week there. I feel like great players are sometimes growing farther away from me as I watch them soar up the scoreboard.”Scheffler said.
“Teddy is my first choice once more because he does an excellent job of ensuring that I’m in the appropriate frame of mind so that I can stay there and give the shot my best. Teddy has done an amazing job of making sure that I don’t allow a bad shot effect the following one, something I’ve done in the past throughout my career.”he continued.
Scheffler appeared to lose steam after starting the round with three straight birdies as he turned in 33 with six straight pars. However, birdies at 10 and 12 turned the tide, and he identified a par at 13 as the turning point to win gold.
“I believe the par putt I made on number 13 was crucial. just maintaining the round’s momentum. Maintaining the card’s cleanliness. I had a decent opportunity to birdie that hole, but I was a little too aggressive with a wedge shot, and now I’m in trouble. I noticed a decent leaderboard below number 16. I was lucky to be able to hit a few more birdies, and I felt like I could make something happen knowing that I was close.”he noted.
Scheffler wouldn’t specify where winning the Olympic gold stood in his list of achievements, but he did admit that it was just as emotional as receiving his second green jacket earlier in the season when he took a “bathroom break” but ended up simply sobbing.
“All I wanted was a little alone time. After that, I sobbed quite a bit. It truly is emotional to hear your national anthem while seated at the platform. We’ve had a demanding week. This week has been difficult. I’m thrilled to be taking home a medal after playing some excellent golf today.”he said.
