Xander Schauffele shows true character after Scottie Scheffler made him cry
Xander Schauffele exhibited remarkable sportsmanship after narrowly missing out on winning a second Olympic gold medal in golf at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Schauffele, 30, fell just short of becoming the first golfer to win multiple Olympic golds, finishing behind Scottie Scheffler, who delivered a stunning final round of nine-under-par 62 to claim the title.
Despite his own disappointment, Schauffele chose to celebrate Scheffler’s success rather than dwell on his own missed opportunity. The Mirror reported that Schauffele experienced an unexpected surge of joy and pride while watching Scheffler on the podium. Reflecting on the experience, Schauffele admitted, “It’s the weirdest feeling. I was watching from the family section, and when Scottie was up there and our flag was raised, I started out feeling hurt about my own performance, but then I realized, ‘Yeah, this is pretty cool.'”
Although Schauffele was initially upset about his performance, he found solace in Scheffler’s victory. He explained, “I felt so emotional—hurt about how I played but also proud and happy that Scottie won. It’s hard to explain; it’s just being American. Seeing our flag raised and the national anthem played was a feeling we don’t get too often.”
Scheffler’s win allowed Team USA to retain the men’s golf gold. Scheffler’s impressive final round performance edged out Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood by one stroke, while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama took bronze, marking Japan’s first Olympic medal in men’s golf and only their second overall.
Despite his analytical nature and a disappointing final round of 73 that ended his bid for back-to-back golds, Schauffele’s ability to genuinely celebrate his fellow American’s victory demonstrated a true champion’s mindset.
