How did Wyndham Clark qualify for USA's Olympics golf team? Eligibility explored amid criticism

Wyndham Clark secured his spot in the Paris Olympics due to his Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). The American golfer ranks within the top 15 in the world, and according to the qualification criteria, all players in the top 15 in OWGR are eligible to compete in the Olympics. However, each country can only have a maximum of four players from the top 15.

Clark, who ranks fifth, was the third American player on the list, making him eligible for the prestigious games in Paris. The other three players representing the USA at the Olympics are Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Collin Morikawa.

However, Clark's qualification has drawn significant criticism, especially considering his disappointing performances in 2024. Fans were in favor of the 2024 US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau qualifying for the Olympics. However, DeChambeau, a LIV golfer, ranks ninth in the world, with five American players ranked ahead of him.

Despite performing well in 2024, especially in the Majors, DeChambeau's primary participation in LIV Golf events, which do not offer ranking points, dropped his world ranking. He did not qualify for the Olympics.

Meanwhile, fans continue to support Bryson DeChambeau for the Olympics and have been critical of Wyndham Clark after his rough start at the Paris Olympics. The 2024 golf event at the Olympics began with its inaugural round on Thursday, August 1, where Clark struggled with his game, shooting a 4-over-75 in the opening round, drawing criticism from fans.

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A quick comparison between Bryson DeChambeau and Wyndham Clark's performance in 2024

Wyndham Clark competes on the PGA Tour, which features a 72-hole format with a cutline after 36 holes. Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau plays on the LIV Golf circuit, which has 54-hole events with no cutline. The PGA Tour also has Signature events featuring top-ranked golfers in a limited field with no cutline, but there were only eight Signature events in 2024.

Wyndham Clark played in 17 PGA Tour events this season and made the cut in 12 of them, missing five cuts. Clark won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am championship earlier this year after the tournament was trimmed to 54 holes due to inclement weather.

He recorded two runner-up finishes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship and has six top-10 finishes. While Clark has had some good finishes in regular PGA Tour events, he struggled in the Majors. He failed to make the cut at the Masters, PGA Championship, and The Open Championship and finished tied for 56th at the US Open.

Bryson DeChambeau, on the other hand, recorded some impressive finishes in the Majors this season and has also played well in regular LIV Golf events. He tied for sixth at the Masters, followed by a solo second at the PGA Championship, and then a victory at the US Open. However, he missed the cut at The Open Championship.

On the LIV Golf circuit, DeChambeau competed in 11 events and had six top-10 finishes. His best result on the circuit was a third-place finish at the Nashville event.