The 2024 Summer Olympics have arrived with the opening ceremonies just a couple of days away. One week into the Olympic games slate is the men’s golf event at Le Golf National, which was the site for the 2018 Ryder Cup, which the Europeans won 17.5-10.5. Le Golf National is also a yearly stop on the DP World Tour schedule.
A couple of those players from that specific winning European Ryder Cup team are looking to strike gold in Paris.
Here are 10 men’s golfers that can win the gold medal after the final round on Aug. 4.
Xander Schauffele
The reigning gold medalist returns, looking to defend his title from four years ago in Tokyo. Now with fans in attendance, Xander Schauffele will be looking to capture his second straight gold medal. In 2024 alone, Schauffele won his first two major championships at the PGA Championship and the Open Championship last week. His wins have been brought by the small changes that have been made to his game. The most noticeable is an increased ball speed off the tee.
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Hideki Matsuyama
Hideki Matusyama has the opportunity to win a gold medal at the Olympics. He has shown in the past that he can compete with the game’s best at the highlest level. In addition to winning the 2021 Masters, Matsuyama won earlier this year at Riviera Country Club, which will be the men’s golf site for the 2028 Olympics. Matsuyama at his peak is one of the best players on the planet.
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Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy is another name that can be atop the leader come Sunday in France. McIlroy has three wins worldwide this year, including coming back from five strokes down to defeat Schauffele in May. He won in Dubai in January and won a team event with Shane Lowry in April. McIlroy, a former World No. 1 is hoping to add a gold medal along with his four major championship wins.
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Matthieu Pavon
The homegrown kid will be making dreams come true by playing in the Olympics in their home country. Matthieu Pavon, who became the first Frenchman in 117 years to win on the PGA Tour back in January, will be competing in his first Olympics. He is going to ride the energy of playing in front of his home country, like Matsuyama a few years ago in Tokyo. That energy can go along way, especially as players have seen in Presidents Cups or Ryder Cups.
Tommy Fleetwood
Speaking of Ryder Cups, a Ryder Cup veteran in Tommy Fleetwood also has an opportunity to win gold in France. Fleetwood was part of the 2018 Ryder Cup squad and went 4-1 across his five matches. All four of his points were also with Francesco Molinari and created the “Moliwood” team name for their success. In addition, Fleetwood won an individual DP World Tour event on this course in 2017. So, the experience is there for Fleetwood, who tied for 16th on the leaderboard in Tokyo.
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C.T. Pan
In Tokyo, it was C.T. Pan who emerged as the bronze medalist after the seven-man playoff. C.T. Pan has the opportunity to win a medal again and even go for gold with the right mentality. Pan was able to fend off names like McIlroy, Morikawa, Matsuyama to earn the bronze medal. Playing and winning against those stars on an Olympic platform can give him motivation this time in Paris.
Scottie Scheffler
The No. 1 player in the world has an opportunity to strike gold in Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler has won the Masters in two of the last three years and became the first player since Arnold Palmer in 1962 to win six times in a season before July 1. Scheffler’s game with the driver and the irons are, one of, if not, the best in the world. The only question for the best player in the world is his putting if he wants to win a gold medal at this year’s Olympics.
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Ludvig Aberg
Ludvig Aberg strolls into France looking to put a stamp on his strong season. Prior to his missed cut at the Open, he missed just one cut with seven top 10s, including runner-up finishes at the Masters and at Pebble Beach. Aberg, who was a star in his Ryder Cup last year, has the opportunity to shine once again, this time on an Olympic stage.
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Jon Rahm
Like McIlroy, Jon Rahm was part of that victorious European Ryer Cup squad in 2018. Rahm did win his singles match in France six years ago. In nine LIV Golf starts that he has completed, Rahm has nine top 10, including three runners-up. Rahm will be ready to suit it for the Olympics as he looks to give Spain a gold medal in men’s golf.
Collin Morikawa
In Tokyo, Collin Morikawa fell a bit short in the seven-man playoff to win the bronze medal during the 2020 Olympics. Morikawa is hoping to use that as motivation as he still waits for a victory in 2024. He has contended numerous times, which includes 11 straight top 25 and four top 10 finishes, dating back to the Masters.
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