What is the overall Olympics golf score record? Taking a closer look
Golf has only been a part of the Olympics for a brief period. Unlike sports like swimming, boxing, or track and field, with rich histories, golf's Olympic resume is relatively short. It was included in just three of the recent Olympics and before that, appeared only twice, with women competing just once.
Despite golf's short Olympic history, records do exist. While the medal count is shared by every medalist, there are specific records like the lowest cumulative score, that golfers aim to break.
Over four rounds, golfers in Paris (much like in Tokyo, Rio, and others) have tried to register the fewest number of strokes. Following the latest event, here's how the all-time leaderboard stands.
The best all-time scores at the Olympics of all time are:
- Scottie Scheffler (2024): -19
- Tommy Fleetwood (2024): -18
- Xander Schauffele (2020): -18
- Rory Sabbatini (2020): -17
- Hideki Matsuyama (2024): -17
The Olympic golf record is based on the four-round format introduced in recent Games. The 1900 and 1904 events, with different formats and scoring systems, are excluded from the record calculation. This means the leaderboard only considers the 2016, 2020 (held in 2021), and 2024 Olympics.
On the women's side, this is what the record looks like:
- Nelly Korda (2020): -17
- Inbee Park (2016): -16
The women's tournament of this edition hasn't started yet, so there's no indication of whether or not anyone will challenge Nelly Korda's standing record.
Who won the 2024 Olympics in golf?
The men's golf tournament was a thrilling spectacle. Xander Schauffele, the defending champion, looked poised to repeat at various points. His consistent play throughout the competition made him a formidable contender.
Jon Rahm also had a tremendous outing, but a late stumble meant that he missed out on a medal. Tommy Fleetwood was also excellent, but in the end, it was Scottie Scheffler's exceptional final round that stole the show.
The 28-year-old's win is not a surprise considering that he's been absolutely dominant this year. Having already secured six wins, including a Major and the Players Championship, Scheffler showcased his incredible talent once again by shooting a nine-under par round to clinch the gold medal.
Scheffler completed his round early and had to anxiously watch the others. With two holes remaining, Tommy Fleetwood was tied with Scheffler. Fortunately for Scheffler, the Englishman bogeyed the 17th, handing the former the gold medal.