SAINT QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — The tears that flowed while hearing the national anthem on the Olympic golf medal stand showed just how much it meant to win for Scottie Scheffler.
The two-time Masters champion who has had the best year in golf outside of anyone named Tiger Woods said he’s gotten emotional before, just never showed it.
This time it was there for all to see at Scheffler stood alongside silver medal winner Tommy Fleetwood and bronze medalist Hideki Matsuyama, the players he roared past with a final-round 9-under 62 to snag the title, his seventh win this year.
What it means ❤️ pic.twitter.com/bKNLBDN7PE
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 4, 2024
“I would say first and foremost I'm proud of the country I'm from. I'm proud to be American,” Scheffler said. “I got emotional the other night watching the gold medal ceremony for the women's gymnastics. I take tremendous pride in coming over here and representing my country.
“Same thing, like when you go to a sporting event, you hear everybody in the stands singing the National Anthem, it's a pretty special thing to be a part of, and I think that's something we take tremendous pride in.
“It was just very emotional being up there on stage there as the flag is being raised and sitting there singing the National Anthem. Yes, that's definitely one I'll remember for a long time.”
MORE: Final results from Le Golf National | Olympic golf is secure | Rory: 'Nearly Man'
It was a drama-filled tournament and an impressive last day for Scheffler, who has made a habit of that throughout a historic year in golf.
He trailed by four when the final round began, ran off three straight birdies to start, then stalled as the leaders, led by Jon Rahm, pulled away. At one point Rahm had a four-shot advantage.
“I felt good most of the day,” Scheffler said. “I felt like I was doing a lot of good things, and the front nine, I hit a bit of a cold stretch on 4 through 9 where I wasn't able to make any birdies; and I felt like I had what was a lot of good putts and felt like what I felt was good putts and didn't go in.
“(Caddie) Teddy (Scott) did a really good job of helping me stay patient out there, and did a good job of reading the greens, as well, and we were able to get hot there on the back nine and move our way up the leaderboard.”
Scheffler, 28, made six birdies on the back nine, including four in a row capped by the dagger at the 17th hole, where he hit an 8-iron from out of the rough to makeable range to get to 19 under par.
Fleetwood, playing behind him, had birdied the 16th to get into a tie but bogeyed the 17th and couldn’t come up with the birdie he needed at the 18th to force a playoff for the gold medal.
“It was very, very enjoyable, it really, really was,” said Fleetwood, the Englishman who has won seven times on the DP World Tour. “I think the leaderboard was unbelievable. I just think it was a great spectacle for golf being out there and being part of that. I said earlier in the week, if you're not going to enjoy those times, then you know, you're not going to get much happiness from the game of golf.
“I thought it was great and I enjoyed competing against the best players in the world for something that is so sought after and so cherished. This isn't going to happen again now for four years. You're always aware of that.
“Even on the last for me, normally I'd have sort of given that chip a go. I missed it, and I know I've lost the tournament but I was still pretty nervous trying to get that silver medal over that 6-footer. So that's a different feeling, as well.”
It has been some year for Scheffler.
After a period of months in which he was being questioned for not winning enough, Scheffler rattled off wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship in back-to-back weeks.
He then won his second Masters followed by a win at the RBC Heritage.
After his wife, Meredith, gave birth to the couple’s first child in early May, he contended at the PGA Championship, where he made worldwide headlines due to a traffic incident that saw him land in a Louisville jail cell for a few hours.
It’s seemingly the only thing that derailed him all year.
Scheffler tied for eighth at the PGA, won the Memorial Tournament, had a lackluster U.S. Open but then won the Travelers.
Two weeks ago at the British Open, he was in contention until a four-putt from off the 9th green. He still tied for seventh.
Scheffler wasn’t sure how the Olympics would play out and how he’d feel about it. He views it a bit differently now.
“I try not to rank accomplishments against each other,” Scheffler said. “Obviously in terms of my family life, Ben was definitely the biggest thing that will happen to us this year. That was very special. Going home with an Olympic medal with family here to support and Mer being here this week, it's a very special feeling.
“I'm proud to be representing the United States here this week, and it really was a great event to be part of. The crowds out here were tremendous. It was really fun to be a part and be able to work my way into contention this week.”
Not only that. He won.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Emotional Scottie Scheffler Puts Gold Star on Amazing Year With Comeback Olympic Win.
