With the Olympics men’s competition beginning later in the week, there has been some debate over where winning the gold medal would rank compared to a Major.
One element working against Olympics golf is its lack of history compared to the Majors, with it only returning to the Games in 2016 after a hiatus of 112 years. However, one player who thinks winning gold could even surpass a Major title is Matthieu Pavon.
Pavon, who will be representing host nation France when the tournament begins on Thursday, admitted to the media that the relative lack of history of Olympics golf compared to the Majors meant he considered winning gold a lesser achievement before this week, but not anymore.
He said: “The thing is, I always felt like Major for golf is more important because we have not really grown up with the Olympics. Golf came back in the Olympics in 2016 in Rio. So that was a different feeling first I had.
“And after a few days on the Olympic Village, the Opening Ceremony in Paris with all this crowd in front of the Eiffel Tower and all the great moments we spent the last few days, it really feels like a gold medal would be now ranked higher than a Major for me.”
Victor Perez, who will take the opening tee shot, will line up for France at the tournament as well, and he admitted the Opening Ceremony had also affected his opinion on the importance of the gold medal.
He said: “It wasn't really on the radar when we were kids when your first dreams are made. Obviously seeing how much people obviously care and the fans, I was just shocked at how many people came to the ceremony.
"It was raining like crazy and people were still cheering for us from balconies overlooking the Seine in Paris. Definitely it meant a lot and enhanced the feel and the wanting for the gold medal for sure.”
As for Pavon, he will likely feel confident of taking the top prize. As well as the backing of the home fans, the 31-year-old is enjoying a solid season, which included victory at the Farmers Insurance Open and fifth at the second Major of the year, the PGA Championship.
He admitted the chance to compete at the Games really came to the fore at the start of the year. “It was one of the goals this year but it really started in January," he revealed. "It was something I wanted to achieve before that. When we started putting some points to qualify, it wasn't that big in my mind. I was feeling I had steps to do before qualifying for the Olympics, and this is what I did.
“Qualifying for the PGA Tour was my first goal. Then won the tournament in Torrey and all of a sudden you're in the mix and put forward and you're almost guaranteed to be in the team. From that moment that I really realized and that kind of dream become really a goal that I had to prepare for.”
Pavon’s comments on the importance of winning gold echo those of Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who, the day after playing a round at the Old Course at St Andrews in preparation for the Games, said winning gold could be his biggest achievement since claiming his fourth and most recent Major in 2014.
The 35-year-old said: "It would be the achievement, certainly of the year, if not - I think for me, it's well documented that I haven't won one of the 'Big Four' in 10 years. It would probably be one if, if not the biggest in my career for the last ten years."
The men’s tournament runs from 1 to 4 August.
