Scottie Scheffler: "Like a shank, except someone simultaneously punches you in the face"

World number one Scottie Scheffler says he was inspired by U.S. gymnast Simone Biles after he got off to a solid start in the men's Olympic golf competition in Paris. 

Scheffler carded a bogey-free 4-under 67 at Le Golf National on Thursday. 

After 18 holes he was four strokes behind the early pacesetter Hideki Matsuyama with the afternoon wave yet to complete their rounds. 

Scheffler spent the night before his first round watching the U.S. team take gold in the women's gymnastics final. 

The Masters champion said he was 'amazed' watching Biles.  

Scheffler was also particularly impressed with Sunisa Lee, who faceplanted as she warmed up for the uneven bars. 

"I was amazed at their poise," Scheffler said of the team. 

"They compete for years and years and years for some of them, that may be the only time they are on the Olympics team.

"For one tournament to have such an emphasis every four years is really challenging. 

Scheffler pointed out that as a golfer he routinely gets the chance to redeem himself if he plays badly. 

He added: "For them at times, the Olympics is really such an important event for them, and so for us to be able to witness how poised they were, with all the expectations placed upon the United States Team, for them to go in and win was really special."

"We watched Suni Lee do her warmup last night on the uneven bars, and she face planted on the map coming off of the top bar and the whole gym went silent. 

"We were like, 'Oh my gosh, is she okay and how is she going to do this?' 

"I'm thinking to myself, if you face plant, first of all, it's really going to hurt and it's going to throw you off.

"Five minutes later, she's got to go up there and do her routine in front of the entire world and really be judged for a long time on that one specific routine. 

"She's been chosen to represent the United States and every score counts. If she messes up and something like that happens and she messes up, it's going to cost the United States a gold medal.

"To see her go up there and have a completely flawless routine is pretty cool. It was fun to watch them compete."

A reporter put it to Scheffler that a faceplant in gymnastics is 'like a shank'. 

"Like a shank, except someone simultaneously punches you in the face at the same time," Scheffler joked. 

"I don't know how to equate it to golf. 

"We were sitting on the other side of the gym and it was so loud. I was like, is she hurt? And five minutes later I'm like, I guess she's going. Flawless. 

"It was awesome."

Surprising atmosphere

Thousands of fans watched the opening round at Le Golf National. 

Rory McIlroy admitted he was gobsmacked at the turnout. 

Scheffler was also taken back. 

"I didn't know what the tournament was going to be like," Scheffler said. 

"Going up to the first tee, there were a lot of people there and wearing USA gear. 

"I talked about it a little bit before the tournament that it was going to feel more like an individual event but at times this week it didn't feel that way because we played a lot of practise rounds and we were out there competing and cutting it up like we do.

"But then wearing the United States flag, having people chant 'USA' and you're here in Europe, it's a fun feeling"

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