Here’s to hoping these wholehearted endorsements of Olympic Golf – and an eventual return to normalcy – result in a more star-studded field in Paris 2024.
Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim both didn’t medal at the Olympics and thus failed to exempt themselves from South Korea’s mandatory military service requirement.
Of course, Xander Schauffele wanted to win an Olympic gold medal for himself. But he really, really wanted to win one for his dad, Stefan, whose own Olympic decathlon aspirations died when his car was struck by a drunk driver.
His last name gives the wrong idea. Jhared Hack went absolutely bonkers during a skins game at Las Vegas Golf Club on Thursday, making 10 birdies, three eagles and a bogey for a preposterous round of 15-under par 57.
The mental-health movement has crossed over into the world of golf, with young star Matthew Wolff recently taking two months off from the PGA Tour to “try to enjoy myself and take care of myself”. McIlroy himself has frequently cited his off-course happiness as a source of balance in his life.
They’re clearly trying to treat this as just another tournament, so as to avoid putting too much pressure on themselves and having that impact their play. But one needs only to look at their recent schedule to understand just how significant this tournament is.
Collin Morikawa is a multiple-Major winner, Jordan Spieth remains the best show in golf, and the Open Championship scratched a links-golf itch two years in the making.
Only a few players per generation ever reach Major-count territory that early. Tiger was one. Jordan another. After conquering the game’s oldest test in his first go, Collin is there, too.
If there’s a player who could use a break, a man who deserves to have a coin flip go his way, it’s the 38-year-old who is tired of finishing second.
As is always the case at golf’s marquee events, there are no shortage of tantalising storylines leading up to Thursday’s first tee shot. Here are five to keep an eye on as you relish the return of The Open.
Australian Golf Digest
