Rory McIlroy’s bid for Olympic glory has fallen short after Scottie Scheffler was crowned Olympic men’s champion at Paris 2024.
The Northern Irish golfer representing team Ireland was tied fifth with Jon Rahm after finding his best form of the week.
McIlroy thrust himself into medal contention with five successive birdies in the back nine, but finished two shots behind Matsuyama after finding water at 15 and taking a double bogey six.
Rahm held a four-shot lead walking off the 10th green, but the Spaniard’s hopes unravelled with a disastrous back nine of 39.
Meanwhile Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood won silver.
Fleetwood fired a final-day 66 to finish one stroke short of Scheffler’s 19 under par total after the world number one had tied Le Golf National course record with a 62.
The 33-year-old from Southport was level with USA’s Scheffler with two to play, but a bogey on the 17th cost him dear.
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Scheffler produced six birdies in his back-nine 29 to add to the multiple titles he has won on the PGA Tour this year, including his second Masters title at Augusta in April.
Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, finished one shot behind Fleetwood to take bronze with France’s Victor Perez fourth after the home favourite had come home in 29.