Home hero Matthieu Pavon in last place after disastrous 18th hole during round 3 at Le Golf National- “The toughest hole I have ever played”

Paris 2024 Olympic Games – Day 6 – Golf – Source: Getty
Matthieu Pavon at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – Day 6 – Golf – Source: Getty
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Matthieu Pavon, alongside Viktor Perez, is representing France at the Le Golf National’s Albatross course for the ongoing Paris Olympics. He got off to a solid start, carding even par after the first day.

Unfortunately, Pavon’s fortunes took a dramatic turn for the worse since then. The local favorite now finds himself at the bottom of the leaderboard after a disastrous finish to his third round. A triple bogey on the notoriously difficult par-4 18th hole proved costly.

Pavon enjoyed a promising start to the final hole, placing his tee shot on the left side of the fairway. Aiming for an aggressive approach over the water to the green, he unfortunately came up short and found the water hazard.

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The 31-year-old then took a penalty drop and sent his fourth shot into the greenside bunker. His fifth shot from the bunker was poor, flying past the pin and leaving a daunting 66-foot putt for double bogey. He eventually made a two-putt to finish the hole with a 7, ending his event with +10.

“This is almost maybe the toughest hole I have ever played because you have two very demanding shots to hit,” Pavon said.
Matthieu Pavon at the Olympics: Golf-Mens Stroke Play Round 1 – (Source: Imagn)
Matthieu Pavon at the Olympics: Golf-Mens Stroke Play Round 1 – (Source: Imagn)
“First, like the tee shot, it’s quite tight — if you miss in the rough you’re going to be in a tricky position — and then the second shot, depending where is the pin, it’s a tough one, too,” the French golfer added.
As a local with seven French Open appearances under his belt on this very course, Matthieu Pavon’s knowledge of Le Golf National’s Albatross is undeniable. Today’s dramatic finish on the tricky 18th hole serves as a stark reminder of the course’s ability to challenge even the most seasoned players.

Who is leading the men’s golf event at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele are co-leading the event after round three. The Spanish and American golfers have carded -14 for the event and are top contenders to win gold as we head into the final round.

The duo will face stiff competition, as several golfers are closely trailing. Tommy Fleetwood is just a stroke behind them, while Nicolai Hojggard and Hideki Matsuyama are three strokes behind the lead at -11.

Meanwhile, Irish golfer Rory McIlroy had an incredible third round and is placed T6 with Scottie Scheffler, Tom Kim, and Thomas Detry. All these golfers are top contenders to win a gold medal, while the remaining golfers, who are five to six strokes behind the lead, have an outside chance of winning gold.

Edited by Pratham K Sharma