[PHOTO: Yoshi Iwamoto]
For those complaining that golf in the Olympics looks exactly like golf almost every other week of the year, you’ll be happy about a new report. You’ll just probably have to wait another four years to see something different.
The Olympics are close to adding a mixed-team event for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, according to the Associated Press’ Doug Ferguson. And it’s a decision that could be announced as soon as the Masters.
Again, though, any new Olympic golf event wouldn’t take place for another four years when Riviera Country Club plays host. The current format, a 72-hole strokeplay tournament for both men and women, is set for the Paris Olympics this year.
According to Ferguson, details regarding the exact format – four-ball, foursomes and possibly singles – and the number of teams are still being worked out. But the rough plan would be to have a four-day men’s tournament, followed by a couple days of a mixed-team event, followed by a four-day women’s tournament so there would still be individual medals in addition to team ones.
As Ferguson notes, this decision is coming on the heels of December’s Grant Thornton Invitational, the PGA Tour’s first mixed-team event since 1999, which was well received by players and fans. Down Under duo Jason Day and Lydia Ko teamed up to win that tournament.
Ko already has a silver and a bronze in two Olympic appearances. However, the reigning men’s and women’s gold medallists both hail from the United States in Xander Schauffele and Nelly Korda.
Schauffele and Korda are on pace to qualify for the Olympics again this year in Paris. Other current golfers who would make it to Paris are Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark and Patrick Cantlay on the men’s side and Lilia Vu, Megan Khang and Allisen Corpuz on the women’s side. For Australia, the likely representatives are Day and Min Woo Lee plus Minjee Lee and Hannah Green.
The qualifying for Olympic golf is based on the Official World Golf Ranking, which puts LIV golfers at a distinct disadvantage.
After more than a century, golf was added back to the Olympics for the 2016 edition. The 2024 golf portion will be played at Le Golf National, site of the 2019 Ryder Cup, beginning on August 1.
