Xander Schauffele wins Tokyo Olympics golf gold with seven players in play-off for bronze

Tokyo 2020 round-up: Asher-Smith's 100m heartbreak and a boxing bronze

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Xander Schauffele has seen off a tight chasing pack to win Olympic gold. The American held a slender one-shot lead over Hideki Matsuyama heading into the final round.

But there were a bunch of players also in close contention, all with their eye on Olympic gold.

And Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini had the round of his life, carding an incredible 10-under par to take the clubhouse lead on Sunday.

As those fighting at the top of the leaderboard reached the 18th, there were clear nerves from a few players.

Rory McIlroy had a chance to take the outright bronze position with a long birdie opportunity, but had to settle for a par.

At the same time, England’s Paul Casey moved himself to 15-under for the tournament with a solid birdie on the 17th.

Both Casey and Matsuyama were in a seven-way tie for bronze heading into the 18th, while Schauffele held a one-shot lead in the gold-medal position.

And the occasion clearly got to all three players with Schauffele slicing his drive into the trees while his two other playing partners found a bunker.

Schauffele took his medicine by opting to play back out into the fairway.

But Matsuyama gave himself a great chance at birdie and a bronze medal, landing within 10 foot of the pin.

Casey was unable to match Matsuyama’s efforts, leaving him a difficult two-putt to stay in the hunt.

But Schauffele showed nerves of steel to float his approach shot to within a few feet of the flag for par and ultimately the gold medal.

Matsuyama missed his birdie chance though while Casey did enough to stay at 15-under.

It meant that all seven players on 15-under would go on to play in a play-off for the bronze medal.

Casey and Matsuyama were joined by McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Sebastian Munoz, Pan Cheng-Tsung and Mito Pereira.

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