Despite a close defeat to American golfer Scottie Scheffler in a tense gold medal match, Dubai-based Tommy Fleetwood described his Olympic Games experience as one of the 'most amazing moments' of his career. The British golfer narrowly missed out on replicating Justin Rose's gold medal win from Rio 2016, finishing with a 66 to claim silver, just one stroke behind Scheffler at 18 under. The American, in top form, matched the course record with a stunning 62 at Le Golf National, including a remarkable back-nine 29 with four consecutive birdies from hole 14, affirming his position as the world's top golfer. Japan's Hideki Matsuyama secured bronze, finishing one shot behind Fleetwood.
"I didn't win gold and part of me is disappointed," Fleetwood said. "But standing on that podium with a medal is one of the most amazing moments I've had as a golfer, and I will remember it for the rest of my life. I'm still unbelievably proud and happy with how the week went. I was proud of the way I played today." He added, "As a young boy taking up the game of golf, none of us had a chance to win Olympic gold so it was never on our agenda. That quickly changes when you're part of the Olympics, and it feels unbelievably special. It was a different atmosphere to what we get week-in, week-out in terms of the amount of fans that are supporting their nation out here. Just a different vibe. It was very, very enjoyable, it really, really was," Fleetwood noted.
Scheffler's victory marks his seventh title of an impressive season, which includes his second major win and second Green Jacket at the Masters Tournament in April. Fleetwood shared the lead with Scheffler on the 17th tee but a misjudged chip shot from behind the green proved costly, preventing him from forcing a playoff with a birdie on the last hole. Victor Perez, coached by Dubai-based Peter Cowen, thrilled the French crowd with a final-round 63 to finish fourth, with Rory McIlroy of Ireland and Spain's Jon Rahm at 15 under. The week featured good weather, a challenging course, and a diverse crowd of golf and sports enthusiasts, with dramatic moments throughout, especially in the final nine holes of the final round. With 60 players in the field, up to eight players were in contention for podium positions with just nine holes remaining. Belgium's Thomas Detry performed best among five other Dubai-based players in Paris, tying for 9th on 272. The competition was purely about golf, aiming for the lowest score, with Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points and three Olympic medals at stake, but no monetary prizes.
