How to qualify for the Olympics golf?

Last Modified Jul 31, 2024 10:45 GMT
Olympic Golf
Source: Official Facebook Page of the Olympic Golf

Golf became an Olympic sport for the first time in 1900, during the second modern Games held in Paris. It made a comeback at the St. Louis Games in 1904, but it was absent from the Olympic schedule for 112 years before making a reappearance in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Every golfing Olympics has included a men's and women's individual competition; 1904 was the only year when there was a men's team event instead of a women's.

Xander Schauffele and Nelly Korda led the men's and women's podiums at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for Team USA. Inami Mone of Japan and Rory Sabbatini of Slovakia took home the silver medals, while Lydia Ko of New Zealand and C.T. Pan of Chinese Taipei won the bronze medals.

2024 Olympic Golf Qualifications Process

In the Paris 2024 golf tournament, 120 individuals will compete, 60 in the men's and women's categories. France, the host country, will guarantee two quota spots, one for each gender. Over two years, the Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR) will determine the remaining 118 quota spots, with 59 slots given to each gender.

The OGR for men on June 17, 2024, and women on June 24, 2024, will determine golf's quota spots in the Paris Olympics.

Athletes receive points based on where they finish in each event; better performances in field events translate into higher points, according to a points distribution plan that has been approved by the International Golf Federation (IGF).

Over the course of a two-year "rolling" period, each player accrues ranking points, with the points earned during the most recent 13-week period being weighted at 100% of their original worth. After which, the points are reduced by 1.1% for each of the following 91 weeks and eventually they are completely removed from the athlete's two-year record.

Athletes' average points throughout the relevant two-year period determine the order in which the OGR is ranked. The average points are easily calculated by dividing the total ranking points the athlete has gained by the total number of tournaments he has competed in during that time.

In the event that athletes are tied on average points, it would be broken by contrasting the total number of points obtained in the latest 52-week period for the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR); further, the entire OWGR points obtained during the most recent 13-week period should then be compared, if necessary, concluding with the OGR.

A maximum of four athletes per National Olympic Committee (NOC) will be chosen by name from the top 15 athletes on the OGR, who will then be guaranteed their Olympic quota spots. Athletes placed 16th and after on the OGR will then be chosen by name and allotted their quota slots; each NOC may have a maximum of two athletes, including those in the top 15, until 59 athletes, including continental spots, are selected.

A minimum of one competitor in the women's and men's events will be guaranteed for each of the five continents that make up the Olympic Movement. If the aforementioned criteria are not met, the highest-ranked athlete(s) on the OGR from the continent(s) with no representation will be awarded the continental spots. If the allotted spot is not confirmed by the NOC’s deadline, the spot will be given to the highest-ranked athlete on the OGR, if not qualified already.

How many Olympic golfers are there?

There will be precisely the same number of competitors in Paris 2024 as there were in Tokyo 2020: 120 athletes total, 60 in each of the men's and women's categories. France, the host country, will guarantee two quota spots, one for each gender. The Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR) will determine the remaining 118 quota spots, with 59 spots allotted to each gender.

Over four days, golfers in the men's and women's events will engage in a 72-hole strokeplay match. The top three finishers will receive gold, silver, and bronze medals. There is no cut, and the medalists will be decided by a sudden death play-off if there is a tie for any of the medals.

August 1–4 is the scheduled time for the men's Olympic golf event, while August 7–10 is the scheduled time for the women's. On the outskirts of Paris, in Guyancourt, Le Golf National, a venue affiliated with European Tour Destinations, will host both events.

FAQ's on How to qualify for the Olympics golf?

A. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, there will be a field of 60 golfers. 

A. The National Olympic Committee (NOC) will select four athletes from the top 15 OGR athletes, guaranteeing their Olympic quota spots.

A. The 2024 Paris Olympics golf event will take place at Le Golf National, near Paris, France. 

A. The 2024 Paris Olympic golf event will have a 72-hole stroke-play event. 

A. Yes, LIV golfers can participate in the Olympics until and unless they have a place at the top of the OWGR. 

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