Golf at the Olympics is gaining momentum

By Paul Gueorgieff

Did you watch the golf at the Olympic Games?

I most certainly did. And it was great viewing.

I believe enthusiasm for golf at the Olympics is now gaining momentum amongst the world’s top players.

It is fair to say there was indifference by some top players when golf resumed at the 2016 games at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

The men’s section in 2016 was won by Justin Rose from Great Britain with Henrik Stenson (Sweden) second and Matt Kuchar (United States) third.

In the women’s section at Rio, our New Zealand star Lydia Ko finished second behind Inbee Park of South Korea. Third was Shanshan Feng (China).

The coronavirus pandemic was a complicating factor for this year’s games but I am sure the win of Xander Schauffelle from the United States will inspire many others to achieve Olympic greatness.

Golf has only been played at the Olympic Games four times.

The first time was at Paris in 1900 when Charles Sands from the United States won the men’s and Margaret Abbott, also from the United States, won the women’s.

The second time was in the United States in 1904 when George Lyon from Canada won. There was no women’s section that year.

There was a sensation in the 1908 games in London.

A men's individual tournament was planned for London but an internal dispute amongst British golfers led them to boycotting the event. That left 1904 gold medallist George Lyon as the only competitor. He was offered the gold medal by default but Lyon refused to accept it.

So began the 104-year hiatus of golf at the Olympics.

Male golfers now earn about $US2 million if they win one of golf’s four major championships. If you melted down a gold medal it would be worth about $US800 but I think top golfers are now starting to realise an Olympic gold medal is worth as much as a major in terms of prestige.

This column was written before the women’s section of the Tokyo games had got underway but the men’s contest was enthralling.

Shauffele’s victory was full of drama.

Disaster nearly struck on the 14th hole in the final round when his drive, so consistent all weekend, flew way right into shrubbery.

Schauffele took a one-shot penalty but his relief of two club lengths was not enough to allow his backswing to avoid branches of bushes behind him. Yet he struck the ball well enough to eventually escape with a bogey.

The drama continued at the 18th when Schauffele’s drive went amongst the trees. He punched out to the fairway before playing a great short iron to four feet which he sunk.

Schauffele, 27, has finished in the top 10 at all four majors in his young career.

Second in Tokyo was the United States-based Rory Sabbatini of Slovakia who had a staggering 10-under final round of 61. Chinese Taipei’s Cheng-tsung Pan secured bronze in mind-boggling fashion after a seven-way playoff.

Ryan Fox of New Zealand was never in contention but redeemed himself with a brilliant final round of seven under par to finish 42nd.

Schauffele said the pressure was probably more intense than he has encountered in majors.

``Probably more in all honesty,” Schauffele said.

``I really wanted to win for my dad. I'm sure he's crying somewhere right now. I kind of wanted this one more than any other one."

Schauffele's father, Stefan, was once an Olympic hopeful for Germany in the decathlon before being hit by a drunk driver and losing vision in one of his eyes. He now coaches his son.