The International Golf Federation has published the Olympic Golf Rankings. Over the past two years athletes gained points from select events which form the rankings. For athletes ranked in the top 15 a maximum of four athletes can represent one nation. However, for athletes ranked outside of the top 15 the maximum for one nation becomes two. In total sixty athletes will take part in each event. The ranking period lasted from July 14th 2014 to July 10th 2016.
While golf makes its return to the Olympics since 1904 it has been a bit of a bumpy ride for the men’s event. There have been multiple withdrawals, including the four highest ranked athletes in the rankings. Many of these golfers cited fear towards the Zika virus as the reason for their withdrawal. Overall only the United States will send the maximum of four athletes while other nations will send one or two athletes.
The women however have had much fewer withdrawals with everyone eligible in the top 15 so far committing to the games. South Korea will be the only nation sending four athletes while the United States will send three.
In total 40 nations will compete in golf’s return to the Olympics. Athletes and nations have one week to formally confirm their participation to the games so there may be a few more withdrawals before the games begin.
Quotas by Nations
- United States – 7
- South Korea – 6
- Australia – 4
- Canada – 4
- China – 4
- Chinese Taipei – 4
- Denmark – 4
- Finland – 4
- France – 4
- Germany – 4
- Great Britain – 4
- Italy – 4
- Japan – 4
- Malaysia – 4
- New Zealand – 4
- South Africa – 4
- Spain – 4
- Sweden – 4
- Thailand – 4
- Belgium – 3
- India – 3
- Ireland – 3
- Netherlands – 3
- Norway – 3
- Argentina – 2
- Austria – 2
- Brazil – 2
- Colombia – 2
- Mexico – 2
- Paraguay – 2
- Philippines – 2
- Switzerland – 2
- Bangladesh – 1
- Chile – 1
- Czech Republic – 1
- Hong Kong – 1
- Israel – 1
- Portugal – 1
- Russia – 1
- Venezuela – 1
References
- IGF. Men’s Olympic Golf Rankings. Access on July 11 2016.
- IGF. Women’s Olympic Golf Rankings. Access on July 11 2016.
Road to the Olympics 