America’s Xander Schauffele won the Olympic men’s golf gold medal on a tense final round at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Japan that ended with a seven-way, sudden death play-off for the bronze medal.
Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini, who switched nationalities from his native South Africa two years ago, closed with an 10-under-par 61 to finish in silver at 17 under, while CT Pan of Chinese Taipei finally claimed the bronze on the fourth extra hole, overcoming US Open champion Collin Morikawa, Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Hideki Matsuyama, Chile’s Mito Pereira and Colombian Sebastian Munoz, who all finished in a tie for fourth.
Schauffele led by one shot heading into the final day and stretched that advantage to three strokes with a birdie-birdie start, adding two more before the turn. But a flying finish from Sabbatini and a bogey for the American at 14 saw his lead wiped out as he approached the final stretch.
Schauffele took a penalty drop on that hole after leaking a drive into the bushes and then caught a branch on his downswing, escaping with just the one dropped shot. There was a nervy, errant drive on the final hole, but the world No.5 held his nerve to sink a gold medal-clinching par putt.
“I really wanted to win for my dad. I am sure he is crying somewhere right now. I kind of wanted this one more than any other,” said Schauffele, 27, whose grandparents live in Tokyo. “You are trying to represent your country to the best of your ability and then you add family stuff on top of that. I’m probably going to have a nice call with my grandparents tonight. Everyone is back home watching. I’m a little speechless right now, quite honestly.”
A seven-way play-off is extremely rare at the highest level of golf and unprecedented to decide who finishes third. But that is the drama a scramble for medals provides and a shootout was necessary with seven of the world’s best tied at 15 under par after four rounds.
Casey was the first to drop out after failing to recover from a wayward drive, with home favourite Matsuyama also falling at the first hurdle. The five remaining hopefuls could then not be separated on the par-three 10th as all made par.
Morikawa pitched his approach on the 11th to within two feet, but Pan followed him down for birdie. Pereira saw his putt lip out and McIlroy also burned the edge of the cup, while Munoz bogeyed to leave just two players in it. The final pair headed back to the 18th, but when Morikawa found a bunker it opened up for Pan and the world number 208 made his par to take bronze.
Speaking after the disappointment of the play-off, Casey reflected on his first Olympic experience. “The overwhelming feeling is pride. Great emotions, but frustration at the same time,” he said. “It’s highlighted to us how much the Olympics means to everybody.”
Casey’s GB team-mate Tommy Fleetwood posted a fourth successive under-par round of 70 to finish tied 16th at 11 under.
McIlroy, who was eligible to play for Team GB but represented Ireland at amateur level, was sceptical heading to Japan, but enjoyed his Olympic experience. “I’ve never tried so hard in my life to finish third,” he said. “It’s not a position that I find myself in very often. The only consolation is it’s not going to be my last chance, I’ll be back in Paris in three years’ time and will give it my all. This isn’t just another golf tournament, it’s much bigger than that, and I didn’t realise that until I got here.”