Scottie Scheffler has shared what he would describe as the one big surprise from playing the Olympic golf event, with the world number one very much in contention to win a medal at Le Golf National.
Scottie Scheffler is likely to be the name those at the top of the leaderboard are most worried about heading into the final round in Paris, with the 28-year-old four shots back of Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele. Unlike many of the names around him, Scheffler has not yet had that ridiculously low round, and has instead been incredibly consistent.
Of course, Scheffler has had an amazing year, having won six times before the end of June, including his second major title at The Masters.
Some may have wondered where an Olympic win would potentially rank, particularly with the sport still re-establishing itself at the Games following its return in 2016.
Scottie Scheffler shares one big surprise from Olympics
What has helped this time around has been the staging. Many players love Le Golf National and have raved about the course this week, while the fans have certainly done their best to replicate the incredible atmosphere from the 2018 Ryder Cup.
In fact, it appears that some in the field have almost been taken aback by the crowds, with Scheffler suggesting that he was not expecting such support before the event.
“I think the only big surprise was the crowds. I didn’t really know what to expect from them but the crowds have been really nice this week. It’s been a lot of fun playing in front of them,” he said.
“Yeah, outside of that, still feels like you have the flow of a regular tournament. Once the tournament started, obviously the beginning of the week looked a bit different.”
Golf grasping its chance at the Games with both hands
It is fantastic for the game that there has been such support. Ultimately, there is real potential to make the Olympics a huge event in the golfing calendar every time it comes around.
While it is unlikely to have the prestige of the majors anytime soon, the fact is that it is only played every four years, as opposed to four majors per year, so it is a special opportunity to achieve something few in the game have before.
What would not be a surprise would be to see Scheffler triumph on Sunday and add another accolade to his incredible 2024.
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