Day two of the Paris Olympic men’s golf competition saw a curious occurrence on repeat at the 18th. With water lurking left, golfers consistently aimed at the quiver of bunkers that protect the right side of the fairway. Trouble was, deep rough lurked farther right, and that’s precisely where many drives found rest. Subsequent results ranged from acceptable to catastrophic. Come Sunday, with everything perhaps on the line, the 18th at Le Golf National should offer a dramatic denouement to the third playing of golf in the post-modern Olympic games.

After 36 holes, three golfers sit even at 11-under par 131. Another nine are within five strokes of that lead. Names like Scheffler, Kim, Niemann, and yes, C.T. Pan, are lurking. Scores of 63 and 64 were posted for the second 18, and the card might go even lower on the weekend. There’s so much to tell, but I’ll keep it to a handful of items. Let’s get on with the five things that we learned on day two of the 2024 Olympic men’s golf tournament.

Reigning bronze medalist C.T. Pan sinks it from WAY out on 18! ?

? Golf Channel and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/dCmNe6dIqL

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 2, 2024

1. Tapioca Pudding? Nope, Tapio Pulkkanen

The first part of the sub-heading is the answer to the question “What is low-hanging fruit?” The second is the proper and only response to “Who lucked into the Olympic games?” If you followed the run-up to Paris 2024, you know that A) Joost Luiten qualified for the Holland Olympic team; B) Holland decided to not send him and two other golfers, even though they volunteered to pay their way; C) Luiten won a court case forcing Holland to send him; D) The IGF had already awarded Luiten’s spot to Pulkkkanen, when Holland abandoned it; E) Tappio is in Paris, or at least, close by.

Tapio Pulkkanen’s second round called to mind the old ABC Wide World of Sports tease The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. For much of the day, Finland’s favorite was inside the top ten, thanks to a series of birdies over the first 15 holes. At 16, his tee shot tugged left into sand, and he was unable to get up and down for par. No worries. Still four-under on the day, still inside the top fifteen, with 38 holes to play. Par at 17, nice work. Then came 18.

How to describe it? Better not to, but I must. Drive in the deep rough, second into the shallow rough, third into the water, fifth into the water, seventh on the green, two putts. To paraphrase the immortal Severiano Ballesteros, I miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, I make. Golf and the Olympics are a fine pairing. They share both glory and despair equally, without prejudice.

2. Barrika harro dago 

There’s a bearded, thickly-built golfer from a cove tucked along Spain’s northern coast. Officially, he is a Basque, from the town of Barrika. In Euskera, the Basque language, barrikada means exactly what it looks like in English: barricade. Given his muscular girth, it’s no stretch to call Jon Rahm, from Barrika, a barrikada at the Paris Olympics.

Rahm has had a challenging 2024 campaign. Adjustment to a new schedule, less competition against traditional opponents, and a bit of injury have kept him from approaching the number-one ranking that he once held. This week, he is on his game. Six birdies overcame a solitary bogey, and moved the 2023 Masters champion from seventh to fourth position.

Rahm’s Retort: Spanish crowd travels really well, especially being as close as we are to Spain, right. It’s an easy commute to Paris. Easy drive and you can even do train rides or flight, right. So it’s very easy to get here.

And you could tell. There’s a lot of Spanish crowd out there throughout the golf course. Even if you listen to them a couple times, a few holes ahead, cheering on David, as well. It was a lot of fun.

3. “Just being an Olympian is something he always wanted”

For the longest time, the ultimate father-son combo (warts and all) was Earl and Tiger Woods. Stefan Schauffele has taken up the cause of fathers instructing sons, and seems to have figured it all out. With dad’s blessing, Xander has taken Chris Como on as his lead instructor, allowing the old man to rest a bit. His own Olympic pentathlon dream was scuttled by a car accident, Stefan has poured all his knowledge and experience from track and field into developing power and consistency in his son’s game. More than the four majors, it seems that the Olympic movement resonates within the Schauffele family.

Xander made dad proud on Friday. He overcame a pair of bogeys with seven birdies, and reached the clubhouse at 11-deep. When others behind him faltered, he found himself in the final pairing for round three.

Xander’s View: I’m American. I’m U.S.-born but I feel at times very international with my mom and where she grew up and with my dad being half-French, half-German. Make I just make it up in my head but I try to call a lot of places home.

XANDER ON THE MOVE. ???

The defending gold medalist ties the lead (-8) at Le Golf National.

? Golf Channel and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/QMc0149c04

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 2, 2024

4. Tommy, Tommy Tommy, Tommy Tommy, Tommy, Tommy Fleetwood!

That was part of the European fan chant for MoliWood, the unlikely pairing of Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood at Le Golf National in 2018. The duo won four matches together, sparking their side to victory over Team USA. Molinari is not part of the Italian side at Paris 2024, but Fleetwood certainly is. The long-haired, Fairway Jesus for whom we all have great affection played himself into serious contention on Friday.

Fleetwood played flawless golf on day two near Paris. He blended an eagle at the third with six birdies, to reach 12-under par through the 17th green. On the final hole, Fleetwood was one of those wide-right golfers, and he was forced to pitch out and ascend the green with his third. Two putts led to bogey, and a shot was irretrievably lost.

Tommy’s Tales: Like I say, I haven’t felt particularly comfortable with my swing all week. But I’ve been doing the things that I know are right and I’ve put the ball in play a lot and I’ve been doing the right things, and I think gradually as you keep hitting enough good shots, obviously you confidence build and you keep drawing on those feelings.

Tommy Fleetwood is DIALED IN at Le Golf National. ???

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— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 2, 2024

5. Hello again, Hideki

Hideki Matsuyama was a three-act play on the second of August, 2024. Over the first nine holes, he was up and down on multiple occasions. Birdies and bogeys exchanged thrusts and parries, and Matsuyama reached the turn at -1 on the day. By the 18th tee, he had added four birdies to his count, and forged a two-shot advantage. That’s when membership in the fore-right brigade came his way, and Matsuyama found trouble.

If there’s such a thing as a remarkable double-bogey, that’s what Hideki had on the day’s final hole. His drive, as mentioned, flared rightward, ending in the gunge. He pitched to the lesser right rough, then chunked his third into the eau. With a sizable number and a drop from grace staring him in the face, the Japanese champion pitched to 13 feet and drained the putt for six.

Matsuyama’s Memory: It was 115 further down the green, front of the green is water hazard. I was kind of aiming — I was aiming left of the pin to play safe but the wind hit ball harder and end up being in the water.

Hideki Matsuyama is ROLLING at Le Golf National. ???

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— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 2, 2024