Xander Schauffele displayed remarkable sportsmanship despite missing out on golf glory at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Schauffele, 30, came up just short in his bid to become the first double Olympic gold medallist in his sport.
That near miss saw one of this year's top performers briefly succumb to disappointment, especially after he held a joint lead entering the fourth and final round. However, his fortunes took a turn when Scottie Scheffler's stunning nine-under-par 62 clinched the title in dramatic circumstances.
Yet rather than dwell on what could have been during a medal ceremony in which he did not feature, Schauffele found himself celebrating the triumphs of his compatriot. The Mirror reported how the golfer experienced an unexpected surge of joy amid the emotions on display and national anthems.
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He reflected on this sentiment ahead of this weekend's FedEx Cup Play-offs and told reporters: "It's weird; I'm not going to lie. It's the weirdest feeling. I was watching from the sort of family section, the podium, and when Scottie was up there and our flag was raised and he started crying up there, I was butt-hurt about my own round, and then I was sitting there like, 'Yeah, this is pretty cool.'"
Despite his disappointment, Schauffele was able to find joy in the success of his fellow competitor. After his own Olympic victory at Tokyo 2020, he found himself on the sidelines watching Scheffler revel in the glory - and that was a reward in itself.
"I can be rational most times, but I felt so emotional in that state to where I was butt-hurt about how I played and then sorta proud and happy that Scottie won it," he added. "It's hard to explain, the swing of it. I think it's just being American. You see your flag being raised and your national anthem played, and you're sitting there sort of humming it in your head, and you get that sort of feeling that we don't really get too often anymore."
The world No 1 winning in Schauffele's place was a consolation prize in itself as it meant Team USA retained the men's golf gold. And few could argue Scheffler was undeserving based on his performance in the last round alone.
The two-time Masters champion celebrated an impressive fourth-round performance to beat Great Britain's Tommy Fleetwood by a single stroke. Japan's Hideki Matsuyama had to settle for bronze, meanwhile, the nation's first Olympic medal in men's golf (and only their second overall).
Despite being one of the most analytical figures in his sport, Schauffele may have felt a sense of destiny at Paris 2024 based on his opening rounds. Having already clinched Olympic gold in 2021, he elevated his career this year after securing both the PGA Championship and The Open.
A disappointing final round of 73 ultimately dashed his hopes of consecutive golds in France. However, his ability to get over the result and express genuine joy for his fellow American demonstrated a true champion's mindset.
