It had been a tumultuous handful of months for Scottie Scheffler, but that has yet to translate to the golf course.
The Scheffler who showed up at Le Golf National on Sunday was the undisputed best in the world. The American shot a 62 to surge into his first gold medal at 19-under, fending off Tommy Fleetwood by one shot to win Team USA’s 15th gold of the Paris Games.
It was Scheffler’s seventh victory of a season. His most memorable moment was arguably not winning a green jacket but being arrested for a traffic violation at the PGA Championship and ultimately making his tee time to finish tied for eighth at Valhalla.
His first Olympic gold, though, is undoubtedly in contention.
Scheffler came into Sunday already feeling good, having made three birdies in his last six holes on Saturday to move four shots off the lead.
That charge picked up right where it left off on Sunday. Scheffler birdied the first three holes and six of the last nine on a bogey-free round to take the lead.
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Taking gold would still require Scheffler to watch nervously as Fleetwood, finishing behind him, came into the 18th hole one shot off the lead.
But the Englishman couldn’t sink a long birdie putt on the final hole and had to settle for second place and a silver medal.
Hideki Matsuyama of Japan finished in bronze after shooting a 65 on Sunday.
Spain’s Jon Rahm looked to be able to challenge for gold after going 5-under on the front nine Sunday but collapsed with three bogeys and a double-bogey following the turn.
That resulted in Rahm finishing off the medal stand along with France’s Victor Perez — who surged into contention with a Sunday 63 — despite Rahm having held a four-shot lead earlier in the day.
