Golf Digest has learned that Adam Scott, Brooks Koepka and Tyrrell Hatton are amongst the notable players who have expressed their desire to decline participating in the 2024 Olympics. The initial report was published by Spanish outlet ElPeriodiGolf.
Golf will make its third Olympic appearance in Paris this summer, following its 2016 return after a hiatus of over a century. Despite an improved turnout at the COVID-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021, several top players opted out due to Zika virus concerns during Rio Olympics. Although participation is anticipated to surge in 2024, some prominent golfers remain reluctant to take part.
According to confidential documents from the International Golf Federation, Brooks Koepka – who currently holds the title of PGA champion and has won five major tournaments so far- has requested that his name no longer be taken into consideration.
This is because he would have faced steep competition in order to qualify for participation as part of Team USA at any future international golf events. Under existing rules, only two players with the highest ranking on Official World Golf Ranking are automatically selected per country;
up to four can potentially make it if all rank within top 15 worldwide. However, since LIV Golf hasn’t received accreditation yet, this means Koepka’s position/standing in rankings has slipped down significantly (to number 31), placing him eighteenth among other American sportspeople playing professionally around world today.
Currently ranked at No. 16 in the OWGR, Hatton’s recent move to LIV Golf would leave him falling just short of being selected for Great Britain over two higher-ranking compatriots – Matt Fitzpatrick (9) and Tommy Fleetwood (10). Despite this status quo, should he fail to perform well enough in upcoming major championships, it is probable that his rankings will continue on a downward trajectory throughout the year.
It comes as no shock that Scott is pulling out of the Olympics. He had already expressed his indifference towards golf’s inclusion in this event, referring to it merely as an “exhibition.” Furthermore, he believed it would be more beneficial if amateurs were allowed instead. This resulted in him declining participation in both 2016 and 2021 games. Among Australians, Scott ranks third highest with regards to OWGR at position #51; Jason Day (20) and Min Woo Lee (32) outrank him respectively.
Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) and Thomas Pieters (Belgium), both of LIV Golf, have also requested to opt out. The sole player aside from them is Marcel Siem of Germany who has asked not to be considered.
The IGF has no intention of publicly disclosing the names of players who have chosen to opt out, as per internal records. Yet, at present, there haven’t been any official requests from female athletes regarding opting out.
The process of qualifying for the 2024 Olympics commenced in July of 2022. Golfers have been accumulating points via an official Olympic Ranking system that closely follows both men’s and women’s World Rankings. The first phase of the 72-hole men’s Olympic competition will commence on August 1-4, at Le Golf National’s Albatros course which previously hosted the Ryder Cup event in2018; while the women’ tournament begins three days after conclusionof themen’s championship (on Aug7th through10yh) beforethe games closure ceremony onAugust11th..
There are 60 players in the field, and a spot is reserved for a golfer from France if they do not qualify otherwise. Each country can have up to four golfers competing as long as all of them rank within the top 15 qualifying spots. For those ranked below 15th place, no more than two players per country may be eligible to compete.
