The golf competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics, taking place at Le Golf National, is regarded as an event of growing prestige within the sport. While traditional majors like The Masters, The Open Championship, the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship are considered the pinnacle of professional golf, the Olympic tournament has gained significant respect since its return in 2016 after a 112-year absence.
The 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris are here, with the Opening Ceremonies kicking off Friday evening from the City of Light.
Almost 11,000 athletes will compete in 329 events across 32 sports in France, including two individual stroke play events for some of the world’s best male and female golfers.
Both golf competitions will take place at Le Golf National, the site of the 2018 Ryder Cup. The Europeans dominated that year, defeating the Americans 17.5-to-10.5. It also marked Tiger Woods’ most recent appearance in the biennial Competition.
Nevertheless, like the Ryder Cup, the Olympics are all about national pride.
This year, for the Americans, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, and Wyndham Clark will represent the stars and stripes—none of whom made the Ryder Cup team in 2018.
Nelly Korda, Rose Zhang, and Lilia Vu will do so on the women’s side.
“Playing for your country is always extremely exciting, and it will be pretty surreal doing it on the Olympic stage,” Scheffler said recently.
The Olympic golf event features a 72-hole stroke play format for both men and women, similar to major championships, and is played over four days. The inclusion of top-ranked players, such as Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Nelly Korda, adds to the event’s competitive intensity and allure.
“It’s also good bragging rights for people that tell me golf is not a sport—I can say it’s an Olympic sport. I’m just excited to go there and experience the Olympics, see some other sports, go to the village, see other athletes, and just be part of it all. It should be a fun, special week.”
But golf fans and pundits alike have struggled to put a label on where the Olympics rank among golf’s most prestigious events. Are they on the same plane as a major championship? A PGA Tour event? Or do they draw similarities to the President’s Cup or Ryder Cup? Then again, this is not a team event—although the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 is reportedly interested in creating a team competition for the games.
The setting of Le Golf National, known for hosting the 2018 Ryder Cup and its challenging layout, further elevates the event’s profile. The course’s history and the caliber of athletes participating underscore the significance of winning an Olympic medal in golf.
Olympic golf’s reinstatement has had a positive impact on the sport, drawing global attention and helping to popularize golf in countries where it has traditionally been less prominent. The potential addition of a mixed-gender team event in future Olympics highlights the evolving nature of the competition and its growing importance.