The field is provisionally set for Tokyo, with Casey and Fleetwood set to represent Team GB
Men’s Olympic Games Qualifying Finalised
The extended three-year qualification process for the men’s golf competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has been completed.
US Open champion and World No.1 Jon Rahm will headline the field for Spain after leading the qualification table – although his partner is not confirmed yet after reports that Rafa Cabrera Bello is following Sergio Garcia in withdrawing.
If Rafa does withdraw, Adri Arnaus will partner Rahm – who, by the sounds of it, will be playing…
Muy ilusionado por esta magnífica oportunidad. Representar a España en los Juegos Olímpicos es un sueño hecho realidad. Además, tremendo honor formar equipo con mi amigo de los equipos nacionales y ganador del US Open @JonRahmpga
#Vamos #Olympics #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/mc3sBki6Aa
— Adri Arnaus (@AdriArnaus) June 22, 2021
Big names who have already withdrawn, aside from Sergio, include World No.2 Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer.
The big news is that all three medal winners last time out, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar, have all not qualified.
Rory Sabbatini’s move to Slovakian citizenship has also paid off, as he is in the field of 60 for Tokyo.
Americans finished Nos. 2-5 in the qualifying, with Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau representing the US.
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Just like in Rio in 2016, the United States is the only country in the men’s tournament with more than two qualifiers for the 60-player field, which will compete at Kasumigaseki Country Club from July 29-August 1.
Team GB, which was made up of Gold Medal winner Justin Rose and reigning Masters champion Danny Willett last time out, will be represented by Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood.
This means that Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick and Lee Westwood all appear to have turned down the chance to play in the Games.
Home nation Japan will be represented by Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama and Rikuya Hoshino.
The men’s field is made up of 36 countries.
Men’s Olympic Games Golf Field: (provisional)
Spain: Jon Rahm, Rafa Cabrera Bello
USA: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau
Ireland: Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry
Norway: Viktor Hovland, Kristian K Johannessen
Japan: Hideki Matsuyama, Rikuya Hoshino
GB: Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood
Mexico: Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz
South Korea: Sungjae Im, Si Woo Kim
Australia: Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman
Chile: Joaquin Niemann, Mito Pereira
Canada: Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes
France: Victor Perez, Antoine Rozner
South Africa: Garrick Higgo, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Colombia: Seabstian Munoz
Italy: Guido Migliozzi, Francesco Molinari
Argentina: Emiliano Grillo
Belgium: Thomas Detry, Thomas Pieters
Sweden: Alex Noren, Henrik Norlander
Finland: Kalle Samooja, Sami Valimaki
Austria: Matthias Schwaab, Sepp Straka
Denmark: Rasmus Hojgaard, JB Hansen
Thailand: Jazz Janewattananond, Gunn Charoenkul
Venezuela: Jhonattan Vegas
Slovakia: Rory Sabbatini
New Zealand: Ryan Fox
Taiwan: CT Pan
Poland: Adrian Meronk
Germany: Max Kieffer, Hurly Long
Phillipines: Juvic Pagunsan
Czech Republic: Ondrej Lieser
Zimbabwe: Scott Vincent
Paraguay: Fabrizio Zanotti
Puerto Rico: Rafael Campos
Malaysia: Gavin Green
China: Carl Yuan, Ashun Wu
India: Anirban Lahiri
How to qualify for the Olympics
The top-15 world-ranked players are eligible for the Olympics, with a limit of four players from a given country.
Beyond the top-15, players are eligible based on the world rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top-15.
The host country is guaranteed a spot, as is each of the five continents of the Olympics.
Olympic Qualifying – what next?
The women’s rankings will be finalised after this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
The 60-player women’s competition will also be held at Kasumigaseki CC and takes place the following week from August 4-7.
Once the women’s Olympic Golf Rankings are finalised, the International Golf Federation (IGF) will send confirmation of the men’s and women’s quota places to the National Olympic Committees.
The NOCs will then confirm use of allocated quota places to the IGF by July 1 and the IGF, in turn, will reallocate all unused quota places before the Tokyo 2020 Sport Entries Deadline on July 5.
The IGF will publish a final entries list of 60 names for both the men’s and women’s events on Tuesday, July 6, which will ratify all the competitors for the respective fields at the Olympic Games.
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