Paris 2024 Olympics: Schauffele shares lead with Rahm as history beckons in Paris
Xander Schauffele holds a share of the lead alongside Spain’s Jon Rahm ahead of the final round of the Olympic men’s golf competition as he looks to win back-to-back gold medals. The American arrived at his second appearance at the Games on the back of winning The Open Championship two weeks ago and has continued his excellent form at Le Golf National.
Schauffele was part of a three-way share of the halfway lead at 11-under, but he shot a 3-under 68 that was highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 14th to edge playing partners Tommy Fleetwood and Hideki Matsuyama on Saturday. Schauffele made an unusually shaky beginning to his round, when many expected him to pull away over the weekend. He made a bogey at the second hole when his tee shot found the back bunker, and failed to get up and down after playing an extraordinary bunker shot, but inexplicably missing the 1-foot par putt. The American bounced back at the fourth hole with birdie, but didn’t press on, until the second nine.
Birdie at the 12th was followed by a spectacular eagle at the 14th hole, and he tied a charging Jon Rahm at 14-under-par.
Rahm, playing in the group ahead, produced his second consecutive round of 66 to ascend into a tie for the 54-hole lead. Rahm made seven birdies on Saturday, including rolling in a putt across the 17th green to reach 14-under, bouncing back from bogey at the 15th hole. Rahm comes into this week off the back of victory at LIV Golf UK by JCB, and a top-10 finish at The Open Championship.
Fleetwood of Great Britain will join the major-winning duo in the final group on Sunday after he mixed three birdies with two bogeys to sit one stroke off the leaders. Fleetwood displayed his trademark excellent iron-play to set up several chances to pull away, but failed to take many of the opportunities. Despite a failing to birdie two of the par fives he will begin the final round right in contention for the biggest title of his career.
Nicolai Højgaard enjoyed the round of the week so far as he matched the course record of 62, which was set by his twin brother Rasmus during the 2022 Open de France, with a bogey-free round that featured an eagle and seven birdies. 62 is one stroke off the Olympic Record low round of 61, shot by Rory Sabbatini in Tokyo.
That moved the Dane into a share of fourth on the leaderboard alongside Japan’s Matsuyama, who lost ground in his pursuit of an Olympic medal with a level-par 71. Matsuyama struggled off the tee and on the greens throughout the round, missing left on several occasions, and failing to convert several birdie chances, whilst also making an inexplicable bogey on the par three 16th. However, he remains in contention and part of a seriously stacked chasing pack.
World Nos. 1 and 3 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, respectively, are both poised to make a Sunday run as they played their way into contention after contrasting rounds.
While Scheffler mixed six birdies and two bogeys in a round that fluctuated, McIlroy enjoyed his first flawless score of the week as he made five birdies for a 66.
Thomas Detry of Belgium and Korea’s Tom Kim also sit at 10-under – four back – after they carded a pair of 69s. Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg, Australia’s Jason Day and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann round out the top 10 a shot further back. Home favourites Victor Perez and Mathieu Pavon had contrasting days, Perez moved into contention and is 8-under-par through 54 holes, whilst Pavon shot a shocking 77 to slide to 59th and last place.
SHANK, by Matt Hooper
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