'Another Week For Golfers To Play Their Hearts Out For Their Countries Instead Of Their Bank Balances Can Only Be A Good Thing'

The men's Olympic golf tournament came to a thrilling conclusion as World No.1 Scottie Scheffler charged through a packed leaderboard to leapfrog the likes of Fleetwood, Matsuyama, McIlroy and Rahm to take the gold medal.

Golf is in the Games for just the third time in over 100 years, and it's already made its way into the upper echelons of the sport.

Scottie Scheffler broke down in tears on the podium while Jon Rahm was heartbroken after missing out on a medal for Spain.

So, now that we've seen the men's tournament kick off a third iteration of golf in the Olympics, we discuss how it ranked in terms of excitement this year and also where it ranks in the game...

My immediate reaction, in terms of an entertainment point of view, is that the Olympics was right up there and maybe even top.

It was a birdie-fest without being ridiculous, and the sport needs that sense of freedom from the players when trying to attract new fans to the sport by showing how much fun golf can be.

But, also, the watchability of all four men's Majors in 2024 were fantastic in their own right. I would still say Paris 2024 just about takes gold, though, simply because of the variety of storylines throughout and due to how much occurred coming down the back nine on Sunday.

The award for the best ending to a men's Major in 2024 still goes to the US Open, however.

Adding to that, while no one is calling for a fifth Major to be added to the men's game, the Olympics did prove that it does almost mean as much to many of the players involved and that - given time and space to develop its standing - both the men's and women's events at the Olympic Games can become something truly special.

Le Golf National certainly delivered in the men's Olympic event and, in terms of entertainment, this weekend in Paris was one of the best we will see in 2024.

Not only did you have a leaderboard stacked with quality names but, what I particularly liked, was that no monetary value was mentioned whatsoever, something which has slightly ruined my viewing experience of golf throughout the past few years.

When golf was reintroduced to the Olympics in 2016 I was slightly skeptical but, seeing the number of fans and the quality of golf on display, it's the first time that I've felt the sport belongs in the Games and is actually important in golf's landscape.

Obviously, it's still in its early stages and, personally, I feel the qualifying process could be changed slightly but, for sheer drama and entertainment, the spectacle was just right.

When it comes to golf's schedule, the Majors will stand head and shoulders above the rest but, like the Ryder Cup, the Olympics is something that can be special, especially as it's only played every four years.

Both Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy made comments after their rounds claiming that the two meaningful weeks of their careers are the Ryder Cup and Olympics, events that are based on history and not money.

On the basis of that, and the message the players have been delivering, I can certainly see the importance of an Olympic gold only rising in 2028 and 2032.

The men's Olympic tournament was undoubtedly one of the greatest golf watching days of the year.

It didn't quite match the US Open for drama right at the end but the stacked leaderboard and the fact that we genuinely had no idea who would win on the back nine, coupled with the excellent and dramatic finishing stretch at Le Golf National and the huge crowds, made it truly captivating.

Like Matt, I was skeptical of golf in the Olympics in 2016, especially when many of the world's top players withdrew due to the zika virus.

Tokyo raised the bar - I think Rory McIlroy's participation and his comments had a lot to do with that - and Paris took golf in the Olympics to a completely new level.

It is now right up there behind the Majors in terms of its importance in the game for me. Granted, winning a gold medal isn't on par with a Green Jacket or a Claret Jug and it will never be, but it has a huge place in the sport now and is completely unique to anything else we see in the professional game.

LA 2028 is going to be one of the highlights of the season when the world's best tackle the much-loved Riviera Country Club in front of huge galleries.

The Olympics has been a fantastic addition to the game and it's great to see.

Another week for the players to play their hearts out for their countries instead of their bank balances can only be a good thing.