SAINT QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — Golf’s place in the Olympics should be questioned no more. A four-day celebration of the game broke out on the outskirts of Paris this week and it’s no stretch to suggest just how important it became to those who lived it.
There was Scottie Scheffler, on his way to another victory, fist-pumping with joy after a crucial birdie putt at the 17th hole, then sobbing on the medal stand as the U.S. national anthem played—a final-round 62 having secured the gold medal—as he stood alongside silver medal winner Tommy Fleetwood and bronze winner Hideki Matsuyama.
A spirited run by Jon Rahm up the leaderboard ended without even a spot on the podium and saying he felt he let the country of Spain down while France’s Victor Perez sent thrills through the home crowd with a push for a medal that came up just short, his country’s national anthem sung to him on every hole.
MORE: Final results from Le Golf National
Even Rory McIlroy, who thrilled and then spilled again, gathered himself to offer the proper perspective after an uplifting tournament at Le Golf National.
“Amazing. We were talking about it out there and Nico (Nicolai Hojgaard) reckons it's the best tournament he's ever been involved in, and he's played a Ryder Cup,” McIlroy said after finishing tied for fifth, his shot at a medal drowned by a wedge shot that came up short on the 15th hole.
“I still think that the Ryder Cup is the best tournament that we have in our game, pure competition, and I think this has the potential to be right up there with it. I think with how much of a sh-tshow the game of golf is right now and you think about the two tournaments that might be the purest form of competition in our sport, we don't play for money in it.
“So it speaks volumes for what's important in sports and what's important, I think every single player this week has had an amazing experience.”
McIlroy, of course, was referencing the rift in the game that has existed for two years since the launch of the LIV Golf League and several prominent players bolting for big paydays and a new format.
Since then, the two sides have attempted to come to some agreement, without a resolution to date.
But this week, it was about the golf. Rahm, who tied for fifth, was a golfer and his association with LIV Golf was not a huge talking point. There were no questions about the Public Investment Fund or the negotiations with the Strategic Sports Group or any of the issues that are dogging the game.
Instead, it was golf on a grand stage with players once skeptical about the entire Olympic golf experience who were loving it.
“It’s amazing what sport can do to bring people together,” said Australia’s Jason Day, who tied for ninth, having skipped the 2016 Olympics when he was ranked No. 1 in the world. “This is a week that we are not playing for money. We are playing for a medal and your country. You're weighing it on your chest and it's brought out old feelings that I thought I didn't have and I still have deep down and why we play golf and why we love it so much.
“So it was impressive to see all the different countries out there. I thoroughly enjoyed the week and I'm hoping that I get to play L.A. in four years.”
The final round began with seven of the top 15 golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking in the top 10: Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, McIlroy, Rahm, Fleetwood, Matsuyama, Ludvig Aberg and Tom Kim.
Throw in Day, Hojgaard, Joaquin Niemann and Perez on the outskirts of medal contention, and you could not ask for a better stage to showcase the game.
Through nine holes, it appeared that Rahm, the two-time major champion who won last week for the first time with LIV Golf and the first time since his 2023 Masters victory, was on his way to a massive win. He birdied five holes to shoot 31 and take a three-stroke lead.
Then he birdied the 10th, was up by four, and it appeared that the silver and bronze were the only medals in play.
But Rahm made consecutive bogeys to offer hope, and then inexplicably made a double bogey at the par-5 14th, missing a short bogey putt. He birdied the 16th but then bogeyed the 17th and 18th to miss a medal by two shots.
“I not only feel like I let myself down but to just not get it done for the whole country of Spain, it's a lot more painful than I would like it to be,” he said.
Xander Schauffele, in contention the entire tournament, finally had an off day after winning two major championships this year. The 2021 Olympic gold winner shot 73 and was the only player in the top 10 over par.
“It wasn’t very good,” Schauffele said. “It was one of those situations where some old tendencies kind of crept in and I'm leaning on sort of how I've been playing the last couple months, which is sort of wherever I looked, the ball goes half the time.
“Today was not that especially when I needed it the most. It was really unfortunate. The fans have been amazing all week and it would have been such a cool feeling to be in sort of medal contention coming down the stretch, and I was far from that.”
Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked player in the world who had won six times, including the Masters and the Players Championship, birdied the first three holes and then went quiet as Rahm surged ahead.
But Scheffler birdied the 10th and 12th holes, then four in a row from 14 through 17. Scheffler, as has often been the case, led the field in strokes-gained approach to the green, and he made the putts to shoot a course-record-tying 62.
Scheffler got to the clubhouse at 19 under par where Fleetwood was after a birdie at the 16th hole before a bogeying at the 17th dropped him a shot back. His par at the 18th meant a 65 and secured second place with and the Silver with Matsuyama’s 65 securing bronze.
“It was amazing to be a part of,” Fleetwood said. “I take away the enjoyment.”
Most did, even those who came up short. The spectators made for a festive atmosphere, the course provided plenty of drama and the No. 1-ranked player in the world who has had a phenomenal year already added another historic achievement.
“Amazing experience,’’ McIlroy said. “Probably one of the best individual competitions I’ve been a part of. I think just the atmosphere. Even standing on the 16th tee and watching 18 and seeing Victor Perez come up 18 and how he was serenaded by the French crowds. We don't get that any other place that we play, maybe apart from The Ryder Cup.
“So I just thought it was an incredible atmosphere and environment to play in, and I think everyone in the field had a blast.”
Can Los Angeles and Riviera Country Club top it? We’ll have to wait four years to find out.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as After Sunday Thrills, Spills and Medal-Stand Chills, Olympic Golf's Place Is Secure.
