Dubai-based golfer Tommy Fleetwood has appealed to his supporters for encouragement as he prepares for the final round of the Olympic men's golf event, where he trails joint leaders Xander Schauffele and Jon Rahm by a single stroke. Fleetwood, who led after the second round, slipped to bronze medal contention following a bogey on Hole 12, leaving him at 12-under par. The Briton, a Dubai resident and global ambassador for DP World, used social media to rally his fans, expressing, 'Loving the support thank you!! Be loud tomorrow folks. I need all the Team GB love.' on his Twitter account @TommyFleetwood1.
Meanwhile, American Schauffele, fresh from winning his first major titles at the PGA Championship and the British Open, scored a 68 in the third round at Le Golf National. Despite a challenging front nine where Rahm took the lead, Schauffele eagled the par-five 14th hole as Rahm bogeyed the next green. Schauffele faces a potentially dramatic final day if he is to repeat his gold medal win from the Tokyo Olympics.
Rahm, starting two shots behind, surged up the leaderboard with a 66, joining Schauffele at 14-under. The two-time major champion's round included seven birdies, notably a long putt on the penultimate hole. Fleetwood, one shot adrift in third place at 13-under after a 69, remains a strong contender for gold despite not yet claiming a major title.
Hideki Matsuyama, who shared the overnight lead, fought to a level-par 71, staying at 11-under. He is now tied with Nicolai Hojgaard, who set a course record with a nine-under 62. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are among those at 10-under, with McIlroy aiming for his lowest round of the week to vie for a medal.
South Korean Tom Kim, among others, is also in contention for a medal, which would exempt him from military service. Other notable players include Ludvig Aberg, Jason Day, and Joaquin Niemann, all at nine-under, five shots off the lead.
