After 112 years, golf returned to the Olympic family in 2016 and became a competition event at the Rio Olympics. The golf event of this Paris Olympics has two gold medals for men and women, with 60 players participating in each event. Four rounds of 18-hole stroke play will be held at the French National Golf Course.
Golf ended its 112-year wait at the 2016 Rio Olympics and returned to the Olympic arena for the first time since 1904. Although some big-name players withdrew in the early stages due to the Zika virus and the COVID-19 epidemic, this year's Olympics in Paris will be held at Le Golf National, attracting more top players to participate, and people have high hopes for the gold content of the golf Olympic gold medal.
Galileo sports will take you closer to the golf competition at the Paris Olympics and find out the latest developments
The US team is strong. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Olympic defending champion Xander Schauffele will compete together. Scheffler has won the US Masters Championship trophy twice in three years, and the gap between him and other players in the world ranking is the largest since Tiger Woods' peak. Speaking of participating in the Olympics, he said: "It is always very exciting to play for your country, and I think it is especially special to do it on the Olympic stage."
On April 14, American player Scottie Scheffler held up the championship trophy at the award ceremony. On the same day, the 88th US Masters Golf Tournament was closed at Augusta National Golf Club. American player Scottie Scheffler won the championship with a score of 277. Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Xiaoling Photo
In addition to his teammates, Scheffler's biggest competitor is Spanish player Jon Rahm, who won the 2023 US Masters Championship. Rahm missed the Tokyo Olympics because of a positive COVID-19 test result that year. This time he will face off with American players in the Olympic arena.
On June 25, 2023, Yin Ruoning competed in the final round. On the same day, the 2023 PGA Women's Golf Championship held in New Jersey, the United States, ended, and Chinese player Yin Ruoning won the championship. Xinhua News Agency/Reuters
On the women's side, Yin Ruoning and Lin Xiyu of the Chinese team have qualified. The Paris Olympics will be Yin Ruoning's first Olympic experience. This "post-00" young player has performed well in recent years and ranks fourth in the latest world rankings (latest rankings on July 15). She broke out last year and once ranked first in the world. In this Olympics, she will make an impact on the medal. Lin Xiyu will be participating in the Olympic Games for the third time. She once created the first hole-in-one in the women's golf competition in Olympic history at the Rio Olympics.
This combination of "new young player" and "three-time veteran" is expected to hit the medal. Yin Ruoning said: "It would be best for me to win medals and win glory for my country, but I also want to enjoy my first Olympics. I have been actively recovering recently and hope to meet the Olympics in the best physical condition." Lin Xiyu said: "This will be my last Olympics. I will go all out and achieve good results."
For the other teams, three people from the United States and South Korea have qualified, showing an overall advantage. Tokyo Olympic gold medalist, American player Nelly Korda's performance this year is "a mystery". She won five consecutive victories on the U.S. Women's Professional Golf Tour (LPGA), but she also failed to qualify for consecutive rounds. However, she is still far ahead in points and ranks first in the world. New Zealand player Lydia Ko won silver at the Rio Olympics and bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first female golfer to win two Olympic medals. She will continue to try to make history at the Paris Olympics.
On August 7, 2021, third place New Zealand player Lydia Ko at the award ceremony. On the same day, the women's individual stroke play golf competition of the Tokyo Olympics was completed at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, and American player Korda won the championship.
What is the status of the Olympic gold medal in the golf world? Recently, a foreign golf media interviewed a number of industry experts to discuss the comparison between the Olympic gold medal and the four major championships.
Neil Tappin, Editor: "The common view is that the Olympics are not as important as the four majors, but I don't agree. Winning a gold medal can be as transformative for the winner as winning a major. For example, if Viktor Hovland wins the gold medal, will it have more impact in Norway than if he won the PGA Championship?"
Nick Bonfield, Contributing Editor: "The gold medal gets closer to the status of the majors after each Olympics. But I don't think it will ever be on par with the majors. The Olympics can't compete with the history and tradition of the majors, and the audience interest is far less. In addition, the level of the Olympic players is lower, and many top players don't participate for various reasons."
Alison Root, Women's Golf Editor: "At present, the Olympic Games are far inferior to the Grand Slams, or even some of the other major tournaments. Although its influence is gradually increasing, it is still a relatively new competition. Winning a major is the pinnacle of every golfer's career, and the satisfaction of an Olympic gold medal cannot be compared."
David Taylor, News Editor: "To me, the Olympics are a far cry from the majors in terms of prestige. The majors are the cornerstone of the game and the best measure of a player's impact. While winning a gold medal is glorious, in golf it is more of an exhibition match."
Elliott Heath, News Editor: "In the men's game, an Olympic gold medal ranks sixth, behind the four majors and the Players Championship. In the women's game, a gold medal is probably sixth, behind the five majors. Although a gold medal allows players to enter some of the majors, it is not nearly as valuable as a major."
Barry Plummer, Contributor: "I personally prefer watching Olympic golf to watching the PGA Championship. Winning an Olympic gold medal is a huge honor for a country and deserves more respect. But unfortunately, it does not have the same place in the history books as a claret jug or a green jacket."
Matt Cradock, Contributor: "While the Grand Slams are unchallenged in golf, the Olympics are held every four years and have a large audience, which has helped them rise in stature. There is no prize money, and the players compete purely for the gold medal, which gives the competition a unique meaning."
Jonny Leighfield, Contributor: "At present, the Olympic Games are far inferior to the Grand Slams in men's competitions. Most sports, including golf, are obsessed with history and tradition. The Olympics need time to accumulate these before they can be respected."
While the status of Olympic gold medals in golf is still rising, it still has a long way to go compared with the Grand Slams. History and tradition are irreplaceable advantages of Grand Slams, but the influence of the Olympics should not be underestimated. In the future, with more top players participating and more spectators paying attention, the status of Olympic gold medals may gradually rise, but for now, it is still not comparable to the Grand Slams.
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