Why didn’t Tommy Fleetwood get any prize money at the Olympics when gold and bronze medalists did?
Tommy Fleetwood secured a podium finish alongside Hideki Matsuyama and Scottie Scheffler in the men’s golf event at the Paris Olympic Games, clinching second place but without a cash prize. Fleetwood delivered a remarkable five-under-par 66 in his final round at Le Golf National, ending the tournament at 18-under-par. However, it was Scheffler’s nine-under 62…
Tommy Fleetwood secured a podium finish alongside Hideki Matsuyama and Scottie Scheffler in the men’s golf event at the Paris Olympic Games, clinching second place but without a cash prize. Fleetwood delivered a remarkable five-under-par 66 in his final round at Le Golf National, ending the tournament at 18-under-par. However, it was Scheffler’s nine-under 62 on the final day that propelled him to victory. Fleetwood had an opportunity to force a playoff but a bogey on the 17th hole ensured Scheffler’s solo win.
Despite the setback, Fleetwood managed to secure the silver medal, narrowly edging out Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama by one stroke on an exciting final day in Paris.
Scheffler’s gold medal came with a financial reward of £29,400 ($37.5k), and Matsuyama earned £4,700 ($6k) for his third-place finish. In contrast, Fleetwood received no monetary prize due to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules, which do not provide a prize fund for the event. The financial rewards are determined by the athletes’ home countries, with the USA and Japan offering bonuses for podium finishes. Unfortunately for Fleetwood, Team GB does not follow this practice, meaning his reward was solely his silver medal.
Fleetwood, while disappointed about missing the top prize, expressed pride in his accomplishment. “There’s part of me that’s disappointed, of course, but at the same time, I never dreamt that I would be an Olympic medalist,” he said. “I’m still unbelievably proud and happy with the way the week went. I was proud of the way I played today. I enjoyed it so much.”
Reflecting on the experience, Fleetwood added, “This was an incredible atmosphere to play in front of this week and to be a part of. I haven’t been in the mix that much recently, and being back there and playing well was great. I’m unbelievably proud to be an Olympic medalist. I never thought that would happen.”
Scheffler, who has had an outstanding 2024 season with six PGA Tour titles including the Masters in April, was emotional about his Olympic victory. “It’s emotional sitting there on the podium and hearing your National Anthem,” he said. “It’s been a long and challenging week. I played some great golf today, and I’m proud to be going home with a medal. There were many talented players in the field this week, and we should all be proud of the golf we played.”