The hype in the sports realm is undoubtedly building up. Then need the situation in the golf world to be said? The reason is pretty obvious. Well, it’s all thanks to the 2024 Paris Olympics that kicked off on July 26. The gentlemen’s game at the quadrennial event will begin on August 1 while the female golfers will compete for the gold medal the following week. But as the first golfer tees off his ball at the prestigious event, one can’t help but recount some unforgettable moments that took place at the Olympics over the years.
Although the event this year is also sure to dish out many such instances, only some will truly leave a mark in the hearts of the fans. It is natural to then be curious about the same as the date ‘August 1’ slowly inches closer at the Le Golf National.
Unforgettable Olympic moments including Justin Rose’s 2016 win
1. Justin Rose’s incredible 25-yard chip: It was the first time since 1904 that golf was being played at the Olympics. And it Englishman Justin Rose who clinched the gold in the game’s comeback at the prestigious event. The Brit did so by chipping in the ball from 25 yards to a range of two feet. The golfer went ahead to tap in the two-footer while his opponent Henrik Stenson of Sweden made a bogey.
Rose finished at a 4-under 67 on Sunday allowing him to take his score to 16-under after the four rounds. “It feels absolutely incredible,” said the athlete after his win. “The whole week, I’ve been so focused, really, to be honest with you. I’ve been so into it. I’ve been so up for it. I’ve been just so determined, I suppose, to represent Team GB as best as I could, and it was just the most magical week, it really was.” Well, his achievement sure did leave a mark on the history of the sport, not to mention the Olympics
2. America’s double gold & the 7-player tee off for bronze: It was 2021. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics had been delayed owing to Covid-19 which hit the world like a storm. But what would hit the U.S. like a storm later on would be the amazing Xander Schauffele, who would rake in a gold medal for the country at the men’s Olympic event. The golfer carded an 18-under 266 over the four days to clinch the win. But the catch came a week later when Nelly Korda, from the same country, clinched the gold medal as well, making Schauffele’s win even sweeter.
However, a total of seven golfers had finished for T3 at the event. The list included Rory McIlroy from Ireland, Collin Morikawa from the U.S.A., and Hideki Matsuyama from Japan, and others, all of whom carded a total of 15 under. The golf world that day saw a seven-man sudden-death playoff, in which Taiwanese pro, C.T. Pan emerged victorious and claimed the bronze medal.
3. The 2016 WD: Although the sport’s comeback after 112 years in Rio de Janeiro was marked by a historic hole-in-one by Rose in the opening round, the event that year was also marked by several withdrawals. From Jason Day to Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, a lot of the top male golfers pulled out from the tournament owing to the Zika virus epidemic.
4. The 1904 George Lyon feat: It was the second time golf was being played at the Olympics. And Canada’s Lyon took part in the same which came out to be the first and last time the gentleman’s game followed a match-play format. The tournament at St. Louis saw the athlete beat the likes of American H. Chandler Egan, despite only playing the sport for a total of eight years. Moreover, he had also taken part in other sports, baseball, tennis, and cricket. Truly a unique, yet historic, moment in the quadrennial event.
5. A Tennis-cum-golf athlete wins gold: The first ever time golf was played in the Olympics saw American golfer Charles Sands winning the tournament. He did so by beating Great Britain’s Walter Rutherford by one stroke. But there’s a catch. The pro also went ahead to compete in the Tennis tournament at the prestigious event etching his name into the annals of history!
These are but some of the moments that top the list when it comes to men’s golf at the Olympics. But don’t forget to keep an eye out, for the upcoming event will surely dish out more such instances since the best in the sport are taking part in the same.
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