Held at the prestigious Le Golf National, the event drew immense crowds and global viewership, further solidifying golf’s place in the Olympic pantheon. Le Golf National, located just outside Paris, is known for its challenging layout and picturesque scenery. The course, specifically chosen for the Olympic competition, is renowned for its undulating fairways, strategic water hazards, and large, undulating greens. The sport’s inclusion has been a topic of debate, but the Paris event showcased why golf belongs in the Olympics.
The players themselves have expressed overwhelming support, with many highlighting the unique prestige of competing for their countries. Rory McIlroy remarked, “There’s nothing quite like representing your country on this stage. The Olympics bring something special out in all of us.”
The International Golf Federation has also been vocal about the positive impact of the Olympics on the sport’s growth. By showcasing golf to a broader audience, the Olympics have the potential to inspire the next generation of golfers from all corners of the globe.
Scottie Scheffler was again on peak form at the Olympics, adding a gold medal to this year’s impressive achievements. A final day with no dropshots of 62 strokes (-9), that started with birdies on his opening three holes followed by a roaring final stretch of six birdies on his back-nine was enough for Scheffler to secure first place in the men’s stroke play on Sunday, finishing on 19-under-par one ahead of Tommy Fleetwood. This is surely the icing on the cake for Scottie’s 2024 season and proving he is the hottest player in golf.
Tommy Fleetwood gave a valiant performance, but a bogey on the 17th hole on his final round had him narrowly miss out on battling Scheffler for the gold. He was sporting a well-earned silver medal on the winner’s podium. While he may have felt a slight disappointment at missing out on the gold, Fleetwood was thrilled with his performance and time spent representing Team GB this week “Standing on that podium with a medal in front of the crowd was one of the most amazing moments I’ve had as a golfer. So, I’ll remember all those times for the rest of my life.”
Hideki Matsuyama played consistently well throughout the tournament, and finished a shot behind Fleetwood to secure his bronze medal. Jon Rahm was looking promising, but four bogeys and a double bogey on his final 9 holes caused him to fall down the leaderboard. You could see the disappointment on Jon’s face on the 18th as he missed yet another par putt on his final hole. France’s Victor Perez delighted his home crowd with an excellent 8-under-par final round, and he finished in fourth only one behind Matsuyama.
The Olympics continue to wow us with athletes of all talents giving it their all for their countries. It has to be one of the most special occasions for any sportsperson to compete to represent their country. You can see the disappointment on everyone’s face when they don’t perform to the best of their ability. They feel like they are letting down their nations as well as themselves. There surely can’t be a bigger pressure than representing your country in the Olympics, which makes the event even more special to watch.
