Join the Club by John Patrick: Gold Medal Golf
Powered by Bonaventure Discount Golf
Golf in the Olympics was a long time coming. In 1993, I was with other members of the media at Augusta National when Billy Payne announced that golf was going to be an exhibition sport at the 1996 Atlanta games and played at Augusta National. It never came to be, as blowback was swift and furious regarding the club’s then-current membership policies. It worked out ok for Payne, however. A few years later he became a member of the club and then a few years after that, the Chairman.
Back in 2008 and 2009 when the movement got serious again, big names in the game were asked to support the effort. The International Golf Federation was formed, and a proposal was formally presented to the International Olympic Committee. It was approved and golf reentered the Olympics at the 2016 games in Rio. The players were slow to warm to yet another commitment on their schedule. Many of the big names were not in Rio, blaming the Zika virus. In 2020, in Tokyo, more big names were expected, but because of COVID-19, the games were delayed a year and there were no spectators. A tough start, to be sure.
Which brings us to now – Paris in 2024. Things lined up a little more favorably for the game. Many of the biggest names attended. Actually, the top 20 players in the world participated. The DP World Tour holds an event each year at the venue chosen in Paris. Parisians and fans around that part of Europe could come and would come. It held a lot of promise, and on Sunday, it delivered and then some.
For a while, it looked like a runaway. As John Rahm stood on the 11th tee Sunday, he was 20-under-par and had a four-shot lead. At the end of the day, Rahm did not even make it to the podium. His implosion allowed a lot of players back in the tournament, much to the delight of golf fans around the world.
One of the players he allowed back in was the number one player in the world, Scottie Scheffler. All Scheffler had to do was birdie five of six holes down the stretch, make a nervy five-footer on his final hole and finish with a 62. Good enough for a one-shot victory over Tommy Fleetwood and two shots ahead of Hideki Matsuyama.
Two Masters winners on the podium. Pretty Impressive.
The gold medal just adds to Scottie’s already incredible – and very Tiger-like _ season. Seven victories, a Major, the Players and now this. Plus, being moved as he was on the podium as the National Anthem played made most everyone forget his time in jail back in May.
So now, once again, a wrench has been thrown into the Player of the Year conversation. Until Sunday, it was looking like Xander Schauffele with his two majors had forged a lead. But, an Olympic gold medal, as Xander knows, is hard to beat.
Looks like it’ll come down to the playoffs and the Tour Championship.
One last note on the Olympics. The true meaning of the games was on display Sunday as Frenchman, Victor Perez, made a valiant effort to claim a spot on the podium. His final round 63 fell short, by a shot.
So now, it’s on to 2028 and Los Angeles and “The Riv” – the legendary Riviera Gold Club. Golf is not promised in the games past 2028. Here’s hoping for a big Hollywood production with the kind of ending even the IOC cannot ignore.
![Joh Patrick writes the Join the Club column for Augusta Today. Join the Club focuses on professional golf and gold around Augusta Georgia](https://augustatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/129/2024/08/JP-Headshot.jpg?w=600)