The Men’s Olympic Golf begins today in Paris at Le Golf National. The 2018 Ryder Cup venue will again play host to a big golf tournament with many of the world’s top players taking part just outside of the French Capital.
Who is in the field?
The field includes 60 players from 32 countries with the USA having four golfers, all inside the top six in the OWGR. The quartet includes World Number One Scottie Scheffler, Tokyo gold medalist and recent Open Champion Xander Schauffele. As well as two-time major winner Collin Morikawa and last year’s US Open winner Wyndham Clark. None of the four Americans were in the team that lost 17.5-10.5 to Europe six years ago. But it will be a very different feel for this Olympic event, in comparison to the raucous Ryder Cup atmosphere. Nonetheless, without the scar tissue from the past, the Americans are among the favourites to claim gold.
European threat
Other big names include Ireland’s Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy, and Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick. LIV golfer Jon Rahm is also in the field representing Spain, just one week after getting his first LIV win.
It is the third time that golf is back as an Olympic sport following its return in 2016. This came after a 112-year hiatus between the 1904 Games in St. Louis and Rio in 2016. Justin Rose won gold back in 2016 with Schauffele taking the top position on the podium three years ago in Japan.
Golf as an Olympic sport
Many have queried golf’s place as one of the 32 Olympic Sports in Paris with speculation that it could easily be replaced by other sports. And professional golfers themselves have questioned the Olympic’s importance in the past as part of their hectic annual schedule. But it only occurs once every four years. More recently pros have come to terms with the legacy and stature that comes with winning an Olympic Medal. This is recognised and elevated in other sports and it has just started to transmit through to professional golf.
Is a change in format required?
The format of the Olympic golf is the same as most weeks on the professional circuit with a 72-hole strokeplay event competed over four days. The Men’s event runs from Thursday to Sunday, with the Women’s starting next Wednesday until Saturday.
A shortened field for those who usually play on the PGA Tour each week but would it be better if it was a different format for the Olympics? It would certainly offer some variety to the week-to-week competitions that avid fans and players are used to. Perhaps a knockout match play format or even a mixed event with men and women competing alongside. For now, it remains a strokeplay event but if golf continues its Olympic journey into the future, perhaps a changeup would attract more fans to watch golf who only tune into the Olympics. It may also favour some players who would prefer a different style of golf than they are used to.
Nevertheless, it is fantastic to see golf in the Olympics and hopefully, it will continue to flourish and produce a compelling tournament for those in attendance.
