Commentary
Thursday marks the beginning of the 72-hole men’s golf competition at the Paris Summer Olympic Games.
The tournament will take place at Le Golf National, located just outside Paris in Saint-Quention-En-Yvelines. The 7,174-yard par-71 course previously hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup matches and the 2022 World Amateur Team Championship (Eisenhower Trophy).
Golf returned to the Olympics in 2016 after a long absence.
This year’s competition is the 3rd Olympiad to feature separate competitions for men and women. There is only an individual competition for each without any team play.
Key golf organizations, particularly the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the R&A, worked hard to convince the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include golf in the Games. They believed that Olympic participation would provide greater visibility and help grow the sport.
When golf reappeared in the Games eight years ago, some players chose not to participate due to concerns about the Zika virus or scheduling conflicts with other tournaments.
This year’s competition is strategically scheduled after all major championships except for the AIG Women’s Open in late August at The Old Course at St. Andrews.
Golf was previously part of the Summer Olympics in 1900 and 1904. After a hiatus of 112 years, the sport made a comeback.
A total of 32 countries are represented in the 60-athlete field, with Switzerland making its debut this year with Joel Girrbach competing.
Many top players, including the top seven in the Official World Golf Ranking, are participating, with Scottie Scheffler being the number one player.
Despite its historical separation, golf’s return to the Olympics has been met with some skepticism from traditionalists who view it as an outsider among sports like swimming, gymnastics, and track and field.
Gold Medalist Benefits
The winner of the gold medal in Paris will receive exemptions into all major championships in 2025, official World Golf Ranking points, entry into The Players Championship 2025, and entry into The Sentry 2025 if they are a PGA TOUR member at the time of their Olympic victory.
While winning a gold medal in golf doesn’t hold the same prestige as winning a major championship, proponents believe it can help the sport reach new audiences and expand globally.
By participating in the Olympics, golf aims to attract more countries to the sport and secure government funding to develop golf in regions where it is currently less prevalent.
Despite its global presence, golf is primarily popular in Western countries, and the sport faces challenges such as high costs and the perception of being elitist.
Vive la France!
France’s Matthieu Pavon will compete in his first Olympics on his home soil after a career-changing season on the PGA Tour that saw him claim his first title at the Farmers Insurance Open in January and a 5th place finish in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst.
Fellow countryman and three-time DP World Tour winner Victor Perez will also debut at this year’s Olympics after earning PGA Tour membership for the 2024 season.
Since the Summer Games are only played once every four years the overall impact of the sport for a broader and more sweeping movement will bear close observation.
The fanfare of achievement secured from the Olympics will take time to build and grow. On the positive side—the staging of the ‘28 Games in Los Angeles at the famed Riviera Country Club could be the next important step in sustaining the momentum generated.
Many leading figures within golf see the connection to the Olympics as a net positive with little to no downside.
Can golf ultimately change its face and be more open to newer players and countries looking to embrace the sport? The Paris Summer Games will add the next chapter to this developing and intriguing story.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
