Though much of the course was softened by rain and little wind, Le Golf National’s final four holes were still brutes, accounting for three of the four most difficult, including the toughest (No. 18, +0.43) and second toughest (No. 17, +0.22).
Scheffler played that stretch in a combined 5 under for the week, with just a single bogey.
Fleetwood did so in just even par. His bogey at the par-4 17th, where he flew the green from the rough and then chipped 22 feet past the hole, knocked him back to 18 under, where he’d finish after a nervy 6-foot par save at the last to secure the silver medal.
“I’ve certainly loved that back nine — well, the whole of today but the back nine, in contention, playing very, very well,” Fleetwood said. “The leaderboard changed quite a bit, and it was amazing to be a part of.”
“I know I didn’t win gold today,” Fleetwood added, still proud of his accomplishment, “and a very good golfer did.”
Scheffler ascended onto the tallest portion of the medal stand as just the third individual American male to capture gold so far at these Paris Games, joining skeet shooter Vincent Hancock and shot-putter Ryan Crouser. Having just fought like hell, a physically exhausted Scheffler was about to be emotionally drained as well.
