Scottie Scheffler’s Olympic victory brings emotions to world’s best golfer
World No. 1 golfer and Texas alumnus Scottie Scheffler has added a prestigious new accolade to his already impressive career, winning the gold medal in golf at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Scheffler is having one of the most remarkable single seasons in recent memory. He has accumulated 12 career PGA Tour victories, including six in 2024 alone. His earnings for the season currently stand at $28,148,691, surpassing his own record of $21,014,342 from the 2022-2023 season. Additionally, Scheffler has held the top spot in the world rankings for an astounding 98 consecutive weeks. The Olympic gold medal is the latest achievement in his stellar year.
This was Scheffler’s first appearance in the Olympics, having missed the 2020 Tokyo Games. Given this new opportunity to represent his country, he seized it with remarkable success.
In the opening round in Paris, Scheffler was in sixth place, four strokes behind the leader Hideki Matsuyama. His performance faltered in the second round, dropping him to tenth place while fellow American Xander Schauffele shared the lead with Matsuyama.
By the third round, Scheffler had climbed back to sixth place but still seemed far from medal contention. However, in a stunning final round, Scheffler shot a remarkable 62, finishing nine under par. This performance allowed him to surpass silver medalist Tommy Fleetwood by one stroke, with Scheffler ending at 19 under par and Fleetwood at 18 under par.
“It’s been a long week,” Scheffler told NBC. “It’s been a challenging week … and I’m proud to be going home with a medal.”
Scheffler’s comeback not only marked a personal victory but also brought pride to his country. During the medal ceremony, as he accepted his gold medal and listened to the Star-Spangled Banner, he was moved to tears by the moment.
Returning home as an Olympic champion, Scheffler reflected on the experience: “I’m proud of the country I’m from,” he shared with CBS. “I’m proud to be an American. … It was very emotional being up there on stage as the flag was raised. … That’s definitely one I’ll remember for a long time.”