On Sunday, American golfer Scottie Scheffler won the men’s individual gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
It’s the second straight Olympics the US has taken home the honor — Xander Schauffele won first place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
At the medal ceremony after the event, Scheffler could be seen breaking down in tears while “The Star-Spangled Banner” played in the background.
In an interview with NBC’s Mike Tirico, Scheffler reflected on the emotional moment.
“I get emotional, in general,” Scheffler said. “I usually have a bit more time after a tournament to kind of reflect and have a couple moments to myself but with this one,
you kind of just go from one thing to the next and you don’t really reflect until you’re standing up there on the podium.
“I got emotional the other night at the women’s gymnastics, just sitting there watching the gold medal ceremony, just thinking about our country. So, that was a pretty special moment that I’ll remember for a long time, standing up there on the podium with the gold medal around my neck.”
Scheffler entered Sunday’s final round four shots back of the lead but proved why he’s the No. 1 golfer in the world. He went out and shot a nine-under, 62 to reel in the gold medal.
Scheffler, the 2024 Masters champion, shot three-under on the front nine before tallying six birdies, including four straight on holes 14-17, on the back nine. His four-round score of 19-under 265 is an Olympic record for 72 holes.
Scheffler, 28, surged to the lead for the first time on No. 17 after sinking an 18-foot birdie putt. Tommy Fleetwood, the Great Britain international, fell out of the lead on the 17th after recording a bogey. He got up and down for par on 18 to secure the silver medal. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama finished 17-under to take the bronze.
The gold medal victory is the latest accomplishment for Scheffler in a season that has been full of them. Scheffler tallied six wins on the PGA Tour this season, won his second green jacket at the Masters, earned a record $28 million in prize money and can now call himself an Olympic gold medalist.
Scottie Scheffler and his wife, Meredith, also welcomed their son, Bennett, into the world on May. 8. Meredith and Bennett were in attendance Sunday to celebrate with Scheffler.
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Source: USA Today
