Matthieu Pavon says Olympic gold in France would rank higher than major glory

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, FRANCE – For Frenchman Matthieu Pavon, the pride he’s feeling as a Frenchman set to compete at a home Olympic Games has been … dare we say, life-changing?

“I always felt like the majors for golf are more important because we have not really grown up with the Olympics,” Pavon said Tuesday at Le Golf National. “Golf (only) came back in the Olympics in 2016 in Rio. So that was a different feeling first I had.

“And after a few days in the Olympic Village, the Opening Ceremony in Paris with all the crowds in front of the Eiffel Tower and all the great moments (we’ve had) the last few days, it really feels like a gold medal would be now ranked higher than a major for me.”

As of Tuesday, France sits in the top three in the medal table, and with near sell-out crowds expected at the 2018 Ryder Cup venue this week, Pavon is feeling inspired as he looks to emulate Justin Rose and Xander Schauffele as modern-era gold medalists in men’s golf.

Nine months ago, Pavon was still chasing his first DP World Tour title. But he won the Acciona Open de España presented by Madrid last October and added his first PGA TOUR title at the Farmers Insurance Open in January – in just his third TOUR start as a member.

“It shows that highs and lows can come pretty quick, and this is what happened,” Pavon said of his rise to wider prominence over the last 12 months. “We work hard with my team, and all the work we achieve for the last few years matches together. It's like part of the puzzle, and it feels like we have done great the last year and a half.

“When you are always on a good (run of) momentum and have a good attitude and have a good discipline working with your team, this is how everything can come quite quick.”

As Pavon openly admits, it was only after that momentous win in California that his thoughts turned toward a home Olympics.

“When we started putting some points to qualify, it wasn't that big in my mind,” said the world No. 23. “I was feeling I had steps to do before qualifying for the Olympics, and this is what I did.

“Qualifying for the PGA TOUR was my first goal,” he continued. “Then I won the tournament in Torrey and all of a sudden, you're almost guaranteed to be in the team. From that moment, I realized that dream become a goal that I had to prepare for.”

Like Pavon, French teammate Victor Perez is making his Olympics debut this week, where a 60-player field featuring eight of the world’s top 10 has assembled at Le Golf National.

Perez, a three-time DP World Tour winner, also secured dual TOUR membership this year by finishing in the top 10 on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings last season.

While Perez, 31, is yet to hit the same heights as Pavon stateside, he has notched three top-20s in his last six starts worldwide including at the Genesis Scottish Open earlier this month, and he arrives at Le Golf National with renewed confidence.

Perez, who will hit the first tee shot of the Games on Thursday at 9 a.m. local time, is aware there will be an onus on him to perform in front of home crowds. But that doesn’t mean he is feeling burdened by a weight of expectation.

“I don't think anybody in this room is going to be able to put more pressure on ourselves than we are already putting on ourselves,” said Perez. “Obviously there's high expectations being in Paris, and the course we've played so many times in the French Open. But at the same time, I try to see it as: Would you rather play at home or away? You'd rather play at home. And would you rather have the crowd with you or against you? You'd rather have it with you obviously.

“I think it's a matter of perspective and seeing the glass half-full,” he added. “Yes, there's pressure, but there will be pressure next week and the week after for different reasons. You’re trying to take it for what it is and make a good performance.”