An overwhelmed Scottie Scheffler was seen in tears after winning the Olympic gold medal in Paris on Sunday.
Scheffler’s dramatic year continued as he triumphed in the Olympic golf tournament, just months after his controversial arrest while en route to the PGA Championship in Kentucky.
The world No. 1 defeated Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood in a thrilling showdown, finishing with a course record-tying round of 62 punctuated by a flurry of birdies.
Standing on the podium, Scheffler couldn’t hold back his tears as the American national anthem played in celebration of his victory.
In the crowd, his wife, Meredith, was seen rejoicing with their son Bennett, who was born just a week before Scheffler’s arrest at the PGA Championship.
An emotional Scottie Scheffler burst into tears after capturing an Olympic gold medal in Paris
After finishing at -19, Scheffler awaited the outcome of Fleetwood’s performance to see if he would need to go into a playoff.
Once Fleetwood missed a crucial birdie on the final hole, allowing Scheffler to celebrate with caddie Ted Scott as he became an Olympic champion.
Fleetwood secured the silver medal, while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama clinched bronze with a final round of 65, totaling -17.
Spain’s Jon Rahm, however, lost his comfortable lead on the back nine, ultimately missing out on a medal.
With this win, Scheffler makes history as the first ever world No. 1 to secure Olympic gold while still ranked at the top.
Scheffler continued his rollercoaster year by winning the Olympic golf tournament
He surged ahead on Sunday with four consecutive birdies late in the round, including a remarkable 18-foot putt on the 17th to take the lead for the first time that day.
The two-time Masters champion finished with an Olympic record score of 19-under 265 over 72 holes. Fleetwood, who fell from the lead after a bogey on the 17th hole, finished with a par for a final score of 66 to capture the silver medal.
Scheffler is now the second consecutive American to win gold in men’s golf, following Xander Schauffele’s victory in the Tokyo Games.
