MEN'S OLYMPIC GOLF COMPETITION

August 4, 2024

Scottie Scheffler

Tommy Fleetwood

Hideki Matsuyama

Le Golf National

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Now I would like to welcome the Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalists from the 2024 Men's Olympic Golf Competition.

It is my pleasure to introduce them: Scottie Scheffler from the United States of America; Silver Medalist, Tommy Fleetwood from England representing Great Britain; Bronze Medalist, Hideki Matsuyama from Japan.

Scottie Scheffler is the first Gold Medal to come from behind in the final round, and the third consecutive player from the United States to Medal in the Men's Olympic Golf Competition.

Tommy Fleetwood adds to his history at Le Golf National winning the 2017 Open de France, a member of the winning 2018 Ryder Cup Team, and now a Silver Medalist at the 2024 Men's Olympic Golf Competition.

Hideki Matsuyama has earned the Bronze Medal after having missed out on a seven-man playoff in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Q. An incredible comeback, lights-out round. On Thursday when we spoke about your legacy, you downplayed it a little bit. Now that you have a Gold Medal around your neck, does that change anything in your legacy, having an Olympic Gold Medal and if not, how special, how different, how emotional is this one compared to many others over the years?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I mean, I don't really think too much about my legacy as a golfer. That's not really something that comes to mind. I love being out here competing. It's one of my favourite things in the world to do and it's a great joy in my life. I'm proud to be out here competing.

As far as my legacy goes, I really don't think about it too much. This is just part of my life that I do out here and it's something that I work very hard at. I'm proud to be sitting here with a Gold Medal.

And as far as legacy goes, I try not to think about it too much. I'm just out here competing and trying to stay present and working as hard as I can and trying to get the most out of myself.

Q. What was it like out there, what were you feeling, and what club did you hit out of that stuff on 17?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: As far as how I was feeling, I felt good most of the day. I felt like I was doing a lot of good things, and the front nine, I hit a bit of a cold stretch on 4 through 9 where I wasn't able to any birdies; and I felt like I had what was a lot of good putts and felt like what I felt was good butts and didn't go in.

Teddy did a really good job of helping me stay patient out there, and did a good job of reading the greens, as well, and we were able to get hot there on the back nine and move our way up the leaderboard.

What was the second part of your question?

Q. 17.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: That was an 8-iron out of the rough. For some reason I keep hitting it left off that tee and I keep hitting it right off 18 and if you feel I was able to get a couple lies that were playable in the rough and hit two really nice shots both with 8-irons.

Q. Tommy you look really disappointed; clearly coming so close. What do you take as a positive from today?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: There's part of me that's disappointing, of course, but at the same time, I never dreamt that I would be an Olympic Medalist.

You know, I'm still unbelievably proud and happy with the way the week went. I was proud of the way I played today. And yeah, I enjoyed it so much. I take that away from it. This was an incredible atmosphere to play in front of this week and to be a part of.

I haven't been in the mix that much recently, and I think being back there and playing well and feeling how I felt again, yeah, I enjoyed it so much and I'm unbelievably proud to be an Olympic Medalist. I never thought that that would happen.

Q. You won a lot of tournaments and a lot of money this year but I don't remember you crying on a PGA TOUR event too often. You were pretty emotional. Can you talk about why and what this means to you?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I would say first and foremost I'm proud of the country I'm from. I'm proud to be American. I got emotional the other night watching the Gold Medal ceremony for the women's gymnastics. I take tremendous pride in coming over here and representing my country.

And yeah, same thing, like when you go to a sporting event, you hear everybody in the stands singing the National Anthem, it's a pretty special thing to be a part of, and I think that's something we take tremendous pride in.

It was just very emotional being up there on stage there as the flag is being raised and sitting there singing the National Anthem. Yes, that's definitely one I'll remember for a long time.

Q. Kind of on that, might be a big question but it seems fitting. Can you tell us a little about your family's origins in the United States, you know what I mean?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Gosh, that's a tough question. I wish my parents were here. My mom's side is Italian and I think my dad's side is German. They will be able to remember it better than me.

But we've been over here for a few generations. My grandfather fought in the Vietnam War and the Korean War -- or I think it was the Korean War he fought in.

Yeah, thanks for challenging me with that one, giving the family history. Yeah, my mom's side is Italian and my dad's side is German. Grandfather fought in the Korean War. He's deceased now. But yeah, we've been over here for a few generations.

You know, I learned from a young age to take my hat off and hold my hand over my heart for the National Anthem. My parents taught me from a young age what it meant to be an American and what it meant to be free and proud to be representing my country this week.

Q. Don't want to belabor the point but you've won two Masters and you've had a great year. I'm wondering, how this ranks after those wins and have you ever cried after any of those?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Typically I'm fairly emotional as it is. I think with this tournament, there wasn't much time in between winning, and then you kind of just get ushered through everything.

I remember after the Masters this year, I took a bathroom break but really I just wanted to be by myself for a minute. I cried pretty good after that one.

I just -- I mean, it's emotional sitting there on the podium and hearing your National Anthem, it really is. It's been a long week. It's been a challenging week. I played some great golf today, and I'm proud to be going home with a medal.

There was a lot of talented guys in the field this week. These guys played tremendous golf and I think we should all be proud of the golf that we played this week.

Q. When you get to the range and you're waiting with Teddy for the result, what are those moments like emotionally?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Well, I try my best to stay in the moment and get ready for a playoff.

It's a tough finishing hole but it's a hole that can be birdied. Tommy is a great player and great champion. So I knew he could make birdie. I did my left to relax and play prepare for the playoff. That's really all that it is.

I was pretty tired standing up there on the range. I did my best to relax. I wasn't going to wear myself by hitting too many balls as we were waiting. Sometimes we get a bit nervous when you're not in control of the situation and you can move a bit faster. Turned on some music and relaxed, and just tried to practise a little bit and keep the body warm.

Q. Can you sort of describe the tension coming down the back nine, and how it was different in this event than it is in a stroke-play event for PGA TOUR event? It's a unique atmosphere, obviously, representing your country. How did it feel, not better or worse, just different?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I think just different. Again, I think the crowds are amazing, and it was a different atmosphere to what we get week-in, week-out in terms of the amount of fans that are supporting their nation out here. Just a different vibe.

It was very, very enjoyable, it really, really was. I think the leaderboard was unbelievable. You know, I just think it was a great spectacle for golf being out there and being part of that. I said earlier in the week, if you're not going to enjoy those times, then you know, you're not going to get much happiness from the game of golf.

I thought it was great and I enjoyed competing against the best players in the world for something that is so sought after and so cherished. This isn't going to happen again now for four years. You're always aware of that.

Even on the last for me, normally I'd have sort of given that chip a go. I missed it, and I know I've lost the tournament but I was still pretty nervous trying to get that Silver Medal over that 6-footer. So that's a different feeling, as well.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I thought the crowds were great this week. I was pretty surprised the first day by just how big they were. It was great, you know, hearing the cheers.

The way they supported the French players this week was pretty unbelievable. Some of the guys were talking about the French players, almost getting the Tiger treatment out there, getting chants and cheering for them every hole.

It was great to be part of this event. Yeah, the crowds were great.

Q. You've had an amazing year this year. So assuming Ben is the No. 1, can you tell us, where is the Gold Medal now?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I try not to rank accomplishments against each other. Obviously in terms of my family life, Ben was definitely the biggest thing that will happen to us this year. That was very special. Going home with an Olympic medal with family here to support and Mer being here this week, it's a very special feeling.

I'm proud to be representing the United States here this week, and you know, like we said earlier, it really was a great event to be part of. The crowds out here were tremendous. It was really fun to be a part and be able to work my way into contention this week.

Q. Has he held it?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: It's a bit heavy for him at this age. It's been fun. He learned how to smile the last couple weeks. So it was nice after this one, where you kind of get in his face and gets excited, and he responds to that. It's a pretty exciting time and I'm sure hanging out with him is only going to get more special as the months and years go on.

Q. Rory McIlroy talked about the fact that he was somewhat taken aback by how quickly things changed out there on the back nine. I'm just wondering for you, when did you realise that you were in a different position than you might have been in at the beginning of the day, and how did you -- what did you and Teddy talk about at that point?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Teddy and I didn't really have a conversation about what we needed to do. Most of the day we were trying to stay patient.

I saw that Rahm had gotten to 20-under, and so I kind of changed a little bit mentally to just really try to do my best to move my way up the leaderboard, and at one point I didn't even really know if I was in contention or not. I just tried to do my best to make some birdies and start moving up and maybe get a medal or something like that just because Jon is such a great player.

The golf course is challenging, but the conditions being what they were this week, with get something rain and not a lot of wind, it's the easiest we'll see the course. I tried to make birdies and start moving my way up.

The leaderboards this week are different than the ones in the States. They are kind of hard to follow. Like you've really got to pay attention. The leaders are only on there for only a very brief amount of time and they start showing all kinds of stuff. Like if it's 60 seconds of leaderboard-watching, the leaders may only be up for four or five seconds. There's a whole bunch of other stuff that they show.

And so it was a little bit hard to keep track of where the guys were. I had saw that at one point, I think Tommy, Jon -- Tommy and Jon were both at 18-under going into 14 and I felt like 14 is a gettable hole and maybe make a birdie there and they would get to 19.

I was doing my best, once I started making some birdies to try to get to 19-under to give myself a chance to get in. I was fortunate to execute some shots there down the stretch. The putt that I hit on 17, I was aware that I think Rahm had gotten into some trouble there on 13 or 14 and Tommy wasn't able to birdie 14.

So I felt like that was a pretty important putt with just how challenging the closing holes are. There's opportunity but also a lot of trouble lurking. It was a fun week being out there competing, and you know, I was a little bit aware of the situation.

But there's a lot of great players, Tommy being one of them, and Hideki, that did their best to make some runs this week, and I think we should all be proud of the golf that we played and we all put up a good fight.

Q. My question is Scottish for Tommy. Where does this sit in terms of your career versus individual achievements and Ryder Cup success? Does this beat that or is it just different?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I don't know. I don't know yet, really. Haven't processed it that much.

But I think -- I said it a bunch of times this week, just as a young boy that was taking up the game of golf, none of us here had the chance to dream of being an Olympian or winning an Olympic medal. So it was never on our agenda until golf finally got in.

I think, yeah, that quickly changes when you're part of the Olympics. It feels unbelievably special. I know I didn't win Gold today, and a very good golfer did. Standing on that podium with a medal in front of the crowd was one of the most amazing moments I've had as a golfer.

So I'll remember all those times for the rest of my life. So yeah, I don't know yet, but I know that it's been very, very special this week.

Q. If you can go back to the 10th tee, you had not made a birdie in about an hour and a half, guys were flying up the board, there was tremendous energy on the golf course. How do you refocus and just kind of keep attacking the course and keep believing in yourself when it feels like it might be slipping away?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I felt like at the time it was definitely slipping away. I missed a pretty easy look there on No. 9 for birdie and I was already pretty far back. I felt like that was a putt that I really needed to hole and wasn't able to get it done.

Teddy always does a really good job of keeping me in the right head space. Today was, once again, one of those days where I felt like I was doing the right things. I was playing good. I just wasn't getting anything out of it for that little stretch of golf. Especially getting off to the hot start, I felt like could I really get a great round going and to have that cold spell was pretty challenging.

I would say Teddy first and foremost was a huge part of keeping me had the right head space and making sure I was staying committed to what we're doing and not focusing on the results.

It can feel pretty frustrating at times to feel like you're doing the right things and not getting anything out of it, and the guys are moving up the leaderboard and I'm getting further and further away from the lead when I feel like I'm playing good enough golf to be up there.

So I would say Teddy was a huge part of keeping me in the right head space and helping me stay patient out there.

Q. In English again. Two things, what was the most important shot you think you hit today?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I would say -- I'm going to give it two shots. I think the par putt I holed on 13 was really important. Just keeping the momentum in the round. Keeping the card clean. That was a hole there where I had a good chance to make birdie mand all of a sudden I'm in a tough place after getting overaggressive with a wedge shot; to hole that putt.

The approach shot I hit into 15 I think was really important to get one in there close. There was a good leaderboard that I saw on the back of 16. I knew I was close and I felt like if I could make a couple more birdies I could make something happen and was fortunate to be able to do that.

Q. Secondly, a couple days ago, I think it was Friday, you were talking about an attitude lacking on a tee shot on, I think it was 7. It just made me curious, how would you describe your mood or your level of peace or however you want to look at it for the week, and did it fluctuate?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think it definitely fluctuated. I felt like at times this week I got more frustrated than I normally do. It was a pretty challenging week there for awhile just because I felt like I was doing a lot of things well and I wasn't getting a lot out of it at times. You know, just watching great players fly up the leaderboard and I feel like they are getting further and further away from me at times.

Once again, I always go back to Teddy because he does a really good job of making sure that I'm in the right head space to where I can stay there and be committed to the shot. At times in my career, I've let a bad shot affect the next shot, and Teddy has done a really great job of helping me stay in the right head space and making sure that I don't let that happen.

This week was definitely one of those weeks. Especially on the greens. I think it was starting Friday on the back nine, he started reading all my putts. That's something that we had done before and we had not done a lot this year. I was just having trouble seeing the breaks out here.

We made that adjustment, and Teddy did a really good job of giving me some good reads. And I did a good job of starting them online as often as I did, and fortunate to hole a few.

Q. Could you talk us through your emotions over the last couple of holes when Scottie had set that total, and did you think that chip at the last was going in ever?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: There was a fair bit of time where I thought I had a chance, yeah.

Yes, I was aware of the leaderboards, and then there's -- on sort of when you get to that back end, you can actually watch what's going on. Like I could see Scottie hitting some shots, and I saw him hole that putt on 17.

So yeah, I knew like I needed to get something out of those last few. 16 felt great. That was a great time to hole a putt. I hit such a great iron shot and a great putt.

And then yes, it's a tough closing stretch and it's a tough last couple of holes. I felt like slightly left tee shot on 17, hit a good second shot and got a bit unlucky with where I finished. Good putt.

So yeah, you know, you go in -- I was obviously trying to catch Scottie and finish in front of him. Once that chip had missed, I couldn't sort of turn my attention to try and make sure I hole the next putt as well.

I've certainly loved that back nine. Well, the whole of today but the back nine, in contention, playing very, very well. The leaderboard changed quite a bit, and it was amazing to be a part of.

I think the main thing that I take away from it was just the enjoyment, and I was happy with the way I played. I actually never felt unbelievably comfortable with my golf swing this week but it's funny that there's plenty of times where I felt great and not got the result out of it. It's a funny game like that.

But I take that a way that, really, the enjoyment.

Q. For all three of you, there's a lot of talk about the Olympics and whether this is the right format because it's the same thing that you do every week. Is there a sense from you that 72 holes is the best way to determine who should get the Gold Medal, and honestly, Silver and Bronze, as well.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I do. I feel like all the majors are and it deserves absolutely the same format as what the biggest prizes in the game are because it is one of the biggest prizes in the game. I think, yeah, I think it's the best way to determine the best golfer of the week probably is that 72-hole format.

Yeah, I would love there to be another event alongside about that they have spoken about. I would love another chance at a medal selfishly.

I think golf showcased it receive amazingly well hopefully this week. I think the leaderboard was amazing, and yeah, I think the format is right, and I guess most other sports would do the same as what they do year-in, year-out. They do the same format as well.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I agree with Tommy. I think if you are going to have an individual tournament, 72-hole stroke-play is the best way to crown a champion and the best player for that week.

As far as a team competition goes, I think that would be a fun aspect. You know, it can be tough for us at times with it being in the middle of our season on tour. So it can be tough to really find the time. But if that's something that we can find the time for, then I think that would be really special.

But as far as an individual tournament goes, I think 72 holes is the best way to do it.

Q. This is the third time golf has returned to the Olympics. Has the positioning or meaning of the Olympic event changed for you over the years?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: No. I think any time you can be part of the Olympics is really special and for golf to be on the Olympic stage is a tremendous amount of fun for us. I think after the first Olympics, I think it held pretty high place in our game and I think it still stands today.

I think it's truly special to be part of the Olympic Games and be here with some of the best athlete -- or the best athletes in the world and to represent our country is extremely special. Yeah, I'm definitely proud to be a part of it.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, the same. I'm completely in awe of the athlete -- every single athlete that's here that put their heart and soul into their chosen craft and get the opportunity to do this every four years. To be a part of it, I'm unbelievably proud, and I was in Tokyo, as well.

Yeah, like I said, stood on the podium there, one of the most special moments of my life and I'll remember it forever. Yeah, I think it means an awful lot.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. This concludes the press conference.