Golf returns to the Olympics for the third time in the modern era at the 2024 Paris Olympics as world number 1 Scottie Scheffler tops the betting odds ahead of Xander Schaufelle and Rory Mcllroy. Damien Kayat previews.
2024 Olympics Golf
Men’s Olympic golf
Le Golf National
1 – 4 August
With all four of the golfing majors already completed, the Olympics represent the final chance for players to capture a piece of golfing immortality this season (sorry FedEx Cup).
Golf first appeared in the Summer Olympic Games program in 1900 and 1904. It failed to gain popularity as an Olympic endeavour, cancelled on the eve of the 1920 games due to a lack of entrants.
Following the 2009 IOC session in Copenhagen, the International Olympic Committee decided to resurrect the competition, earmarking the 2016 Rio Games as the first stop in this latest iteration of Olympic Golf.
This will be the third consecutive Olympic Golf event in the modern era, with Justin Rose winning in 2012 and Xander Schauffele picking up gold last time out in Tokyo.
I really appreciate the fact that the world golfing bodies have gone out of their way to encourage players to participate in this year’s event. You get the sense that many of the tennis players are participating this year out of a grudging sense of patriotic duty.
But the golf organisers have been smart, offering other inducements outside of the three medals at stake. The gold medal winner will pick up an exemption for all majors next season and there will also be official world rankings points at play (there are no rankings points available in this year’s Olympic tennis).
That will come as good news to those LIV practitioners looking to accumulate some desperately needed rankings points. And many of the players – and European spectators – will be familiar with this year’s venue: Le Golf National.
Le Golf National
Located in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Le Golf National gained international fame as the host of the 2018 Ryder Cup (won by Europe in dominant fashion).
Opened as recently as 1990, this gem of a course has also played host to the Open de France for 29 of the last 31 renewals. The 7,174-yard par-71 layout absolutely frustrated the American Ryder Cup team to death.
It features tight, undulating fairways that really put a premium on accurate driving. Phil Mickelson memorably lambasted the course, stating that it was ‘a waste of my time to play’.
Aaaw, poor Phil. Imagine a golf course that punishes you for your errant driving. The course is also known for lightning-fast greens and vast, links-style bunkering.
The final four holes are really the signature stretch, with players having to contend with plenty of water and risk-reward scenarios. Since 2010, the average winning score of the Open de France has been 10-under-par (just to give you an indication of how tough this test can be).
The Contenders
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and two-time Major champion Xander Schauffele form the backbone of the four-man American team (Morikawa and Clark being the other American participants).
Scheffler has been the dominant player in the world for much of the season but Schauffle’s two major championship wins have somewhat altered the narrative. A penny for Rory McIlroy’s thoughts this week. He followed up his nightmarish US Open capitulation with a torrid missed cut at Royal Troon.
This is perhaps the one prize in world golf (the Players notwithstanding) that could offer some solace to the embattled Northern Irishman. Elsewhere, fellow 2018 Ryder Cup alumni such as Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood will hope to feed off that positive muscle memory.
Elsewhere, the likes of Ludvig Aberg and Hideki Matsuyama catch the eye in what is sure to be a thrilling week of golfing action.
Format
This will be a regular 72-hole, stroke-play event. Only one golf, one silver and one bronze medal will be awarded. This means that playoffs will be utilized to separate those tied in the medal positions.
Past Medalists
2016 (Rio): Gold: Justin Rose, Silver: Henrik Stenson, Bronze: Matt Kuchar
2020 (Tokyo): Gold: Xander Schauffele, Silver: Rory Sabbattini, Bronze: CT Pan
To Win Outright:
Scottie Scheffler 4/1 | Xander Schauffele 6/1 | Rory McIlroy 17/2 | Jon Rahm 10/1 | Collin Morikawa 12/1
Value Bets
Alex Noren – To Win 33/1 | To Place 7/1
Alex Noren has been the epitome of consistency this season and his emphasis on accuracy makes him an ideal fit for this layout. Like Valderrama and Wentworth, this is a true European style of course that doesn’t reward the bombers.
He was part of the 2018 Ryder Cup winning side, going 2-1 and winning his Sunday Singles match. He also won the Open de France hosted here in the same season. He arrives in highly creditable form, finishing T10 at the Scottish Open and T13 at the Open Championship.
Thorbjorn Olesen – To Win 70/1 | To Place 15/1
I think that Olsen could represent decent value in the place markets. The Dane will be appearing in his 2nd Olympics (he finished T30 at the 2016 games).
He has an excellent record in the Open de France (hosted at Le Golf National), finishing 3rd in 2017 and 10th last year. He has actually averaged 1.87 strokes gained on the field per round here.
He won his 8th DP World Tour title in January, beating the field by six shots to claim the Ras Al Khaimah Championship. He also comes into this event in improved form, making the cut in six of his last seven PGA Tour outings.
The Man to Beat – Tommy Fleetwood – To Win 20/1 | To Place 44/10
I’m picking Tommy Fleetwood to round off my all-European selection. This course just screams Fleetwood. He won the 2017 edition of the Open de France and his partnership with Francisco Molinari – famously dubbed Moliwood – was a cornerstone of Europe’s Ryder Cup success in 2018.
He has been quite consistent this season without really delivering the big result. But he has real course credentials and he ranks 4th in the field for Driving Accuracy over the last six months (which should prove a vial stat this week).
