The Punter's De-brief: Superb Scheffler grabs Olympic gold in Paris

• Long odds-on Rahm wilts in Paris

• Late bogey proves costly for terrific Tommy

• Read my Wyndham Championship preview here

The world number one, Scottie Scheffler, began the final round of the men's Olympics golf event trailing by four strokes and trading at 18.5 but it didn't take him long to throw down the gauntlet, birdying the first three holes.

It was an ominous start, but it was followed by a run of six straight pars, and he looked like an also-ran as he made the turn.

My pre-event 12/113.00 fancy Jon Rahm, who had begun the final round tied with the defending Olympic Champion Xander Schauffele, looked the man to beat as he shot four clear.

Schauffele, who was matched in-running at as low as 2.35/4, never got going at all in round four but after playing his first 10 holes in six-under-par, Rahm was matched at a low of 1.182/11 and when he found the par three 11^th green off the tee, a stress-free stroll to the top of the podium looked highly likely.

When Rahm saved par from 16 feet on the par three eighth hole, a hole he'd bogeyed every day through the first three rounds, it looked like a big turning point.

He followed the remarkable par there with a pair of birdies at nine and 10, but the actual turning point came at 11 when his birdie putt from 32 feet ran six feet past the hole.

Tommy Fleetwood then birdied the hole to get to within three and Rahm missed the par save.

At 12, Rahm dropped another shot after a wayward drive and Tommy picked up another birdie. A matter of minutes after Rahm had looked like strolling to victory, the two were tied at the top and it was game on.

The first-round leader, Hideki Matsuyama, was matched at a low of 4.67/2 as he hung around and Rory McIlroy was matched at a low of 6.05/1 after he'd birdied five in-a-row from the 10^th, but his challenge ended when he found water with a wedge on the 15^th hole.

Matsuyama parred his way in from the 13^th hole to finish third and, with Rahm's chance ending with a sloppy double-bogey at the par five 14^th, Scheffler emerged as the huge danger to Fleetwood.

Matched at as high as 140.0139/1, the American went long odds-on when he birdied the 17^th after a poor drive. Remarkably, that was his sixth birdie in eight holes!

Fleetwood birdied the par three 16^th after a brilliant tee-shot, and he was matched at a low of 2.26/5, but a poor chip from just off the back of the 17^th green led to a bogey five. When Fleetwood failed to birdie the tough 18^th, Scheffler won by a stroke and the Englishman had to settle for silver.

Paris a sensational success

Many were sceptical when golf was reintroduced to the Olympics back in 2016 but it was impossible not to judge Paris as an overwhelming success.

McIlroy described the event as "one of the best competitions I've been a part of" and Rahm had this to say after his dreadful finish:

"I've been saying all week that I would know how much this means when the tournament was over. Sometimes you know when you win, but you definitely know when you don't win it, and this just stings on a different emotional level. Hurts right now more than I expected."

There were tears of joy for the winner who looked more emotional after winning gold than he had at Augusta in April when he won his second US Masters title, but Tom Kim's tears were had to watch.

Nothing like representing your country 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ZT7A3gfII2

-- PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 4, 2024

The ridiculously talented Korean needed to medal to avoid national service, but it wasn't to be. Despite playing some exceptional golf from tee-to-green, the 22-year-old missed too many makeable putts. After missing out on a medal by four strokes, he was visibly upset.

The Open de France returns to Le Golf National in October, but we don't have to wait long to see the fabulous layout used again as the Women's Olympic event starts on Wednesday.

Nelly Korda is the 5/16.00 favourite and Lydia Ko, who won silver in Rio and bronze in Tokyo, is a 44.043/1 chance to complete the medal set.

Now read my Wyndham Championship preview here

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