Tokyo Olympics: USA's Schauffele Wins Gold, Converted Slovakian Takes Silver
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Xander Schauffele captured Olympic gold with a clutch, final hole par putt. The American and San Diego native held off a spirited charge from Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini, who posted a Kasumigaseki and Olympic record final round 61.
"For me I wanted this for my Dad more than anything, Schauffele told Golf Channel. “I tried to represent my country, and then my family. It was really fun."
Schauffele was introduced to golf by his dad and coach, Stefan. He picked up the game during the 1980s after hitting balls in a Tokyo department store simulator.
After an up-and-down for birdie at the drivable 17th, Schauffele missed the 18th fairway, wedged out and played this impressive third to set up his par:
Schauffele joins George Lyon (1904) and Justin Rose (2016) as the only Gold medal winners in men’s golf. (If you count 1900, which most don’t, then Charles Sands is also in the club).
Heading into the event he was the 9-1 second choice while Sabbatini was a 150-1 longshot.
The 45-year-old Sabbatini birdied the 18th to set 17-under-par as the clubhouse leader on a day when multiple players had a shot at medaling. Sabbatini’s birdie putt included a celebration before the ball even reached the hole.
Sabbatini became a citizen of Slovakia in 2019 and is married to his Slovakian caddie, Martina.
The finale played out at around 3 a.m. ET/12 am PT on Golf Channel, but even well out of the prime time window when other sports take priority, NBC stuck with a round of 16 beach volleyball match between USA’s Claes/Sponsil vs. Canada’s Bansley/Wilkerson.
Golf’s return to the Games in Rio saw the network pick up the final 90-or-so minutes and, despite a less-exciting finish than 2021’s Schauffele win, averaged 8.8 million viewers. That made it the second most-watched golf event of 2016.
As of press time, the seven-way playoff for Bronze had not been decided.
