Tommy Fleetwood has hailed Scottie Scheffler as the “best in the world” after missing out on Olympic gold due to the world No. 1.
The American golfer hit a record nine-under 62 on the final day of the competition at Le Golf National, France – edging out Team GB’s Fleetwood by one stroke.
Despite a stellar performance all week, Fleetwood claimed the Olympic silver medal and expressed that contending with Scheffler required him to be at his best.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the 33-year-old reflected on Scheffler’s formidable form and confessed that he was more focused on his own game than the American athlete.
“It’s annoying, isn’t it? He is the best player in the world, he’s having a phenomenal year and he had an amazing day yesterday,” he said.
“He wasn’t really one that we were thinking of for a lot of the round but then I saw that he was getting close.
He’s the best player in the world and is now the Olympic champion as well. So if you’re going to get beat by someone, I guess you get beat by the best.”
Although he did feel some disappointment in settling for second place, Fleetwood shared his immense pride in securing an Olympic medal for Great Britain.
He said: “Obviously, there’s a small part of you that’s a bit gutted when you come so close and not to win gold. But still, having an Olympic medal is something that’s very special. I really wanted no part in having to go into a playoff for silver and bronze.
“I had a really good chip [on 18] and there was a period where I thought I might have chipped in to get a playoff for the gold. In any other tournament, you’re not that fussed. You know, it can go in or it doesn’t but I was actually still pretty nervous over that [final putt]. I just wanted to get it over and done with.”
Fleetwood admitted he hadn’t dreamt of Olympic glory as a youngster but now treasures the experience, as he said: “I honestly don’t know.
“Golf was my favourite sport [growing up] and we never had a chance of dreaming of being an Olympic medallist. But as soon as it’s come around, I think you’re just watching it grow and grow in terms of how much we want it, how much it means to us.
“And, you know, it’s a tough one right now, but I just know that when I stood up on that podium yesterday, it was one of the most special moments of my career. This medal is something that I’ll cherish forever. Hopefully, this week it’s done golf the world of good to show what a spectacle it can be and how much it means to us all.”
Scheffler has now added an Olympic gold medal to his impressive list of accolades, which includes a recent victory at the Masters Tournament. The American sportsman boasts two major championships and has held the world number one title for more than 90 weeks.
Meanwhile, silver medallist Fleetwood has seven European Tour titles under his belt, with his best performances at major championships being runner-up at the US Open in 2018 and The Open Championship in 2019.
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Source: USA Today
