Paris Olympics: What to know about golf

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — After a more than 100-year absence from the summer Olympic program, golf returned to the games in 2016 and is now back for a third consecutive time.

The field of 120 golfers has a rich resume of winning major championships and team trophies like the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup. And now they’ll chase gold, silver and bronze in France.

With Paris as the host, a renowned course will serve as the backdrop for the men’s and women’s competition. The top seeds for each tournament are American and enter Paris 2024 in the midst of historic seasons. Here is everything to know about golf at the Paris Olympics.

The course – Le Golf National

The Olympic golfers will compete roughly an hour away from Paris at Le Golf National in the commune of Guyancourt. Established in 1990, this relatively new course in France is already one of the most well-known in Europe as the annual host of the European Tour’s Open de France.

Before a ball is teed off for Paris 2024, the largest event at Le Golf National was the Ryder Cup in 2018, which saw Europe dominate the Americans. While there are three course configurations, the main championship Albatross course will be used, with a distance of over 7,300 yards and sitting at a par 72.

With numerous water hazards and link-style bunkers, Le Golf National will prove it is the most difficult course to have hosted Olympic golf.

PARIS, FRANCE – OCTOBER 14: EDITORS NOTE: Polarising filter used on the camera in this image: A view of the green on the 423 yards par 4, first hole (L) and the 209 yards par 3, second hole (R) on the Albatross Course at Le Golf National, the host venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup on October 14, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE – OCTOBER 15: EDITORS NOTE: Polarising filter used on the camera in this image: A view from beside the green on the 206 yards par 3, eighth hole on the Albatross Course at Le Golf National, the host venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup on October 15, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE – JULY 04: A general view of the 14th hole during the final round of the Open de France ALSTOM at the Le Golf National Golf Club on July 4, 2010 in Paris, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE – OCTOBER 15: EDITORS NOTE: Graduated polarising filter used on the camera in this image: A view looking back from the clubhouse down the 469 par 4, 18th hole (L) and the 404 yards par 4, 15th hole (R) on the Albatross Course at Le Golf National, the host venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup on October 14, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Scottie Scheffler’s gold to lose?

There is no question the top golfer entering the men’s side is American Scottie Scheffler. His 2024 season start is among the best in PGA history with notable tournament wins at the Masters, Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Memorial Tournament in Dublin.

The 28-year-old became just the sixth player in PGA history to win six tournaments before July and is the favorite to claim gold in France. But he will face a very difficult field, including European players with stronger crowd support.

Defending Olympic gold medalist and PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele is right in the mix for a medal and possibly another win. The other Americans will be Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa. The Europeans that will look to claim gold on their home continent include Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, Norway’s Viktor Hovland, and Spain’s Jon Rahm.

But each Olympics has given us surprise medalists, particularly in 2021 when Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini and Chinese Taipei’s Pan Cheng-tsung stood on the podium. As top heavy as the field is, don’t be surprised if an unknown is in the mix for a medal.

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 14: Scottie Scheffler poses with the winner’s trophy as the 2024 Masters Champion after the final round of Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
Xander Schauffele of the United States competes during the men’s individual stroke play round 4 golf match at Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Saitama, Japan, Aug. 1, 2021. (Photo by Zheng Huansong/Xinhua via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 18: Wyndham Clark of the United States poses with the trophy after winning the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club on June 18, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT – JUNE 22: Collin Morikawa of the United States lines up a putt on the sixth green during the third round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 22, 2024 in Cromwell, Connecticut. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
KOHLER, WISCONSIN – SEPTEMBER 24: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and team Europe plays his shot on the 10th hole during Friday Afternoon Fourball Matches of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 24, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/PGA of America/PGA of America via Getty Images)
PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA – JUNE 16: Ludvig Aberg of Sweden reacts to a tee shot on the sixth hole during the final round of the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort on June 16, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DUBLIN, OH – JUNE 04: Viktor Hovland poses with the Memorial Tournament trophy after the final round of The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Country Club on June 4, 2023 in Dublin, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 01: Jon Rahm of Team Europe celebrates on the 18th green during the Sunday singles matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club on October 01, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/PGA of America/PGA of America via Getty Images)

Nelly Korda aims for repeat

While Scheffler enters in top form on the men’s side, Nelly Korda is in even better form coming to Paris on the women’s side. The 25-year-old Floridian is aiming for a second straight gold medal and comes to Le Golf National after a historic start to her 2024 LPGA season.

The two-time major winner captured that second major title this year at the Chevron Championship while also winning her first five events of the season. Korda is only the third LPGA player to win her first five tournaments and will be the one to watch at the Olympics.

Her fellow countrywomen are right in the mix with her for gold with the second-ranked player being Lilia Vu. The 26-year-old from California won two majors last year and has cemented herself as one of the top golfers in the world. Ninth-ranked Rose Zhang is also hoping to bring a medal, or maybe help in a potential podium sweep, for Team USA.

South Korea will be the other nation having multiple golfers with medal chances, spearheaded by world No. 3 Ko Jin-young and this year’s Women’s PGA Championship winner Amy Yang. The French fans could see a hometown medalist with Celine Boutier in contention and others to watch include Australia’s Hannah Green and Minjee Lee, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, and Canada’s Brooke Henderson.

KAWAGOE, JAPAN – AUGUST 07: Nelly Korda of Team United States celebrates with the gold medal at the victory ceremony after the final round of the Women’s Individual Stroke Play on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club on August 07, 2021 in Kawagoe, Japan. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Lilia Vu of Fountain Valley, California holds the trophy at the awards ceremony after winning in a three way multiple hole playoff during the final round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give golf tournament at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, MI, USA Sunday, June 16, 2024. (Photo by Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
MIDLAND, MI – JUNE 27: LPGA golfer Rose Zhang plays her tee shot on the 4th hole during the first round of the LPGA Dow Championship on June 27, 2024, at Midland Country Club in Midland, Michigan. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SAMMAMISH, WASHINGTON – JUNE 22: Jin Young Ko of South Korea reacts after making a birdie on /18during the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club on June 22, 2024 in Sammamish, Washington. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
MIDLAND, MICHIGAN – JUNE 28: Amy Yang of South Korea plays her shot from the fifth tee during the second round of the Dow Championship at Midland Country Club on June 28, 2024 in Midland, Michigan. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 24: Celine Boutier of Europe Team looks on during the Solheim Cup 2023 in Finca Cortesin at Estepona on September 24, 2023 in Malaga, Spain. (Photo By Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via Getty Images)
LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 29: Hannah Green of Australia looks on on the 12th green during a practice round prior to the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally at Lancaster Country Club on May 29, 2024 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Minjee Lee of Perth, Australia waits on the 13th tee during the second round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give golf tournament at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, MI, USA Friday, June 14, 2024. (Photo by Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 29: Lydia Ko of New Zealand plays her shot on the 13th tee during a practice round prior to the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally at Lancaster Country Club on May 29, 2024 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – JUNE 13: Brooke M. Henderson of Canada looks on from the sixth tee during the first round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club on June 13, 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images)