MEN'S OLYMPIC GOLF COMPETITION

August 1, 2024

Scottie Scheffler

Le Golf National

USA

Quick Quotes

Q. What's your general thoughts on the day and mostly what kind of atmosphere were you expecting when you got here and what did you see?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I didn't really flow what to expect. The last couple days it's been pretty quiet around the course. I didn't really know what was going on so I didn't know exactly what to expect. But it was nice to play in front of a good crowd. Big crowd. It was a lot of fun. They were cheering loud for us. It was pretty fun. Was definitely not expecting that coming in. I didn't really know what to expect but there's definitely more people than I expected.

As far as my golf today, I felt like I could have posted a better number but overall felt like I did a lot of really good things and hoping to continue that over the next few days.

Q. A lot is talked about, the U.S. format, four spots. What are your thoughts on how the team gets picked?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I mean, I think it's nice having a pretty standard rating system for how you can choose the team. I think it gets a little bit objective when you have a selection committee choosing teams. Most of our team events, you have guys that can qualify automatically and there are some that are chosen. We had tournaments in amateur golf where the whole team was chosen at times.

I'm a fan of having a standard system where you know where you stand in terms of getting in like it is now. If there is a committee that would decide the last couple spots, but also it's so challenging being in the United States getting on the team. You get four guys because we are all Top 15 in the world and it's still by far the hardest team to make. If we can bring all of our best players, the field for this tournament would look a lot different and I'm sure we would have a better chance of taking home more medals but it's hard to choose the best four every year.

Q. When you put the ball in play, did it feel like any other tournament, just golf, or is there anything different about it?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think there was a bit of a noise factor on the course. There was definitely more poise than we're used to in terms of people having their phones on and cameras clicking and stuff like that. I'm not able to communicate to people to not click during the swing.

So I took it as -- we were standing on No. 2 ask there were camera clicks going off all over the place, I'm like, oh, my gosh. The only other place you do that at the Masters for the first few days, the cameras during the practise rounds are loud. I reminded myself that I played in so many games at the Masters the first few days and I did just fine and was able to handle it today.

Q. What do you think of the colours, the uniforms -- Jason Day?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: They look okay. The United States looks the best.

It's really special seeing everybody play for their countries. It's a very team to make to be representing the U.S. so I'm proud to be here representing our country. It's been a long stretch for the year but this has invigorated me playing for our country, seeing the other sports and going to the gymnastics final was special and watching the U.S. win the Gold was really cool and hope some of us can produce more medals for the U.S.

Q. Did Simone inspire you?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: All the gymnasts did. Simone, being as talented as she is. I was amazed at their poise. They compete for years and years and years for some of them, that may be the only time they are on the Olympics team.

For one tournament to have such an emphasis every four years is really challenging. As somebody who, like if I had a bad week this week, I could take a week off and I would still have another great chance to prove it to myself that I can do it under the biggest lights.

For them at times, the Olympics is really such an important event for them, and so for us to be able to witness how poised they were, with all the expectations placed upon the United States Team, for them to go in and win was really special.

We watched Suni Lee do her warmup last night on the uneven bars, and she face planted on the map coming off of the top bar and the whole gym went silent. We were like, oh my gosh, is she okay and how is she going to do this. I'm thinking to myself, if you face plant, first of all, it's really going to hurt and it's going to throw you off.

Five minutes later, she's got to go up there and do her routine in front of the entire world and really be judged for a long time on that one specific routine. She's been chosen to represent the United States and every score counts. If she messes up and something like that happens and she messes up, it's going to cost the United States a Gold Medal.

To see her go up there and have a completely flawless routine is pretty cool. It was fun to watch them compete.

Q. Like a shank?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Like a shank, but except someone simultaneously punches you in the face at the same time.

I don't know how to equate it to golf. We were sitting on the other side of the gym and it was so loud. I was like, is she hurt? And five minutes later I'm like, I guess she's going. Flawless. It was awesome.

Q. And when you're in this setting with other iconic types, Simona, Ledecky, one big arena of the Olympics, and they all have legacies, you're the No. 1 ranked player in the world and have been for a long time, have the Masters, do you ever think of yourself in that space?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Not really. Like Katie Ledecky, to compare golf to her, I think is fairly challenging. I think she has like the 20 best times in the 1500. That would be like me shooting the lowest 20 scores on tour and I shot 59 once and it's got beaten -- like shooting 57 20 times. I'm going to have to practise harder.

Q. Are you surprised how the atmosphere made you feel?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I didn't know what the tournament was going to be like. Going up to the first tee, there were a lot of people there and wearing USA gear. I talked about it a little bit before the tournament that it was going to feel more like an individual event but at times this week it didn't feel that way because we played a lot of practise rounds and we were out there competing and cutting it up like we do.

But then wearing the United States flag, having people chant "USA" and you're here in Europe, it's a fun feeling, and it was exciting to compete today.

Q. When it comes down to it, your legacy in your career, how important is it to win a Gold Medal to go with some major titles?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I don't focus much on legacy. I don't look too far into the future. Ultimately it will be forgotten. I mean, it's true.

And so when it comes to competing, I show up as prepared as I can and I show up to do my best and that's really all I'm trying to do.

So would it be awesome to win a Gold Medal, it would be really cool but at the end of the day, doesn't define me, doesn't define my life. I'm here to compete and do my best.