Did you get into a groove watching the Open Championship? Found a sweet spot in terms of just the right time to stay up until to catch all the action without losing too much sleep? Well, it’s time to rewind and do it all again the next two weeks as the Olympic men’s and women’s golf tournaments take place outside Paris.
The field for both events will include 60 players competing in 72-hole strokeplay with gold, silver and bronze medals going to the top three finishes. In both competitions, the defending gold medallist is back to try to win again, Xander Schauffele taking the men’s title in Tokyo in 2021 and Nelly Korda winning the women’s competition.
Increasing golf’s presence in the Olympics on the agenda for 2028 and beyond
For just the fifth time ever this week, an Olympic gold medal will be handed to a men’s champion for golf… and Australians Min Woo Lee and Jason Day are hunting a little piece of history.
The golf tournament begins on Thursday and runs until Sunday with the men’s competition, followed by the women’s tournament next week. Both events are being played at Le Golf National, near Versailles, about 50 minutes’ drive south-west of central Paris.
Rising superstar Lee and former world No.1 Day are Australia’s representatives this week in France, having earned their places through the International Golf Federation’s selection system for all teams, which is based off the Official World Golf Ranking.
Both Lee and Day are making their Olympic debuts and hoping to become the first Australians to win an Olympic medal in golf. Hannah Green (tied for fifth in 2021 at Tokyo) has come closest thus far, a bogey at the 72nd hole costing her a spot in a playoff for bronze in Tokyo three years ago.
The men’s field is hot and includes Schauffele, winner of two major championships this year, world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa.
New Zealand has Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier in the men’s field.
Fortunately for Australasian golf fans, the golf competitions are scheduled to start at 5pm (AEST), giving them prime-time exposure.
DEFENDING GOLD MEDALLIST: Xander Schauffele (USA)
LIVE SCORES: https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/results/golf/men-s-individual-stroke-play/fnl
TV COVERAGE:
Rounds 1-4: Thursday-Sunday from 5pm, AEST (Nine, 9Now, Stan)
Link to 9Now here
