2024 Olympics: Things to Know About the Women’s Golf Competition in Paris

Golf returned to the Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 after a yawning 112-year absence, and the tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics will mark its third appearance at the Games. The men’s golf event took place from August 1 to 4, and saw world number 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler clinching the gold medal. Next up on the 2024 Olympics schedule is the women’s golf competition from August 7 to 10.

In terms of magnitude, this year’s edition of the Games is the biggest yet, with spectators back in full attendance after Zika restricted attendance in Rio, and Covid ensured the comPetitions were staged before empty galleries in Tokyo.

Inbee Park of South Korea took home the first gold on golf’s return at Rio, while American Nelly Korda, who won in Tokyo, will tee off at the Le Golf National starting Thursday, August 7, as defending champion.

Here are the key details of the Olympic women’s golf tournament, including recap of the action from the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics, venue, schedule, field, and players to look out for. And in case you missed it, click here to read all about the recently concluded men’s golf tournament.

All about the women’s golf event at the 2024 Olympics in Paris

A piece of history

Golf was not regarded an official Olympic event when it was initially added to the calendar in 1900 at Paris and St Louis 1904. A dearth of entries resulted in the sport being taken off the roster in 1908 and 1920. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to bring golf back for the 2016 Summer Olympics during its meeting at Copenhagen in October 2009.

Qualification for women’s Golf is determined by the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, with the top 15 automatically qualifying (with a maximum of four per nation), followed by the best-ranked players from countries that have not yet qualified two players.

In 2016, several of the best male players withdrew due to Zika fever worries, and a few women players followed suit. There were 34 participating nations, 32 of which were on debut.

Inbee Park won gold after shooting 268, and was followed by Kiwi Lydia Ko (silver) at 273, and China’s Shanshan Feng (bronze) a shot back.

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Triumph of Olympic spirit

The global COVID-19 outbreak before the Tokyo edition, which was originally set from July 24 to August 9, 2020, forced a rescheduling for August 2021.

In the lead-up to the Games, newspapers throughout the world ran headlines like, “Tokyo Olympics could be a COVID-19 super-spreader”, “Experts say Olympics unprepared for COVID-19”, and “Is there a chance ‘Olympic’ variant could emerge from the Tokyo Games?”

But the Tokyo organisers showed in a momentous way that a pandemic could be kept at bay by adhering to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, fundamental public health practices and a stringent testing programme.

The Games proved safe for both the competitors and Japanese population with just 33 positive cases among 11,300 athletes, and 464 overall among tens of thousands of authorised stakeholders.

Headline makers at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Even in the most trying circumstances, the Olympic spirit triumphed. Nelly Korda (267), the current World No 1, took the women’s individual gold. The American secured the top spot at the Kasumigaseki Country Club with a 4-foot par putt on the 72nd hole.

She overcame 72 holes of blazing heat, an hour of storm delay on the final day, and 59 world-class opponents to win, flanked on the last green by sister Jessica and US teammates.

“It was very stressful, but I kept it together. I fought pretty hard,” said a jubilant Korda, her gold medal around her neck.

Mone Inami of Japan won silver with par on the first playoff hole against Lydia Ko of New Zealand after both finished at 268. The bronze was Ko’s second Olympic medal, having earned silver at Rio in 2016.

India’s Aditi Ashok narrowly missed out on bronze, but did enough to made headlines, especially in her country, and triggered unprecedented interest in the sport.

In contention for a podium finish until the 17th hole, the storm break upset Aditi’s rhythm and she slipped to fourth place. With a final round score of 3-under 68 and a combined total of 269, Aditi was just one stroke away from a medal.

Despite barely missing out on Olympic glory, she made history by recording the best-ever finish by an Indian golfer. Teeing off in her third Olympics, Aditi will have a chance to set the record straight this time, and her form going into Paris is a plus.

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Key players to have on the radar

With the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s golf competition upon us, the United States is expected to be in the thick of action again.

Leading the medal race will be World No. 1 Nelly Korda, the defending champion. With 14 LPGA victories and two Major championships under her belt, Korda is an overwhelming favourite to win gold in light of her unprecedented run on the LPGA with six wins this 2024 season.

Driven by the quest for gold again, Korda would be disappointed though not to have sister Jessica competing with her like at Tokyo.

“Any time I get to represent my country is just such a really big honour. To get to do that at the Olympics is going to be an amazing experience again,” said Korda.

While Korda is the top name, the US also has two-time Major winner and World No. 2 Lilia Vu and rising 21-year-old star Rose Zhang, World No 9, who will make her Olympic debut.

The other player to look out for is New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, bronze medalist from the Tokyo Games. A former World No 1, Ko is a two-time Major champion and the 20-time LPGA winner will be the main threat for the American players in the race for gold in Paris.

Women’s golf at 2024 Olympics: Format, schedule and venue

A 72-hole individual stroke-play competition will take place over the course of four days. After four rounds of 18 holes daily, the golfer with the lowest cumulative score will be declared the gold medalist.

The women’s Olympic field features 60 players from 33 countries. The only two nations with more than two players are the United States of America (Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu, and Rose Zhang) and the Republic of Korea (Jin Young Ko, Amy Yang, and Hyo Joo Kim).

The women’s golf competition is scheduled for August 7 to 10. The event will take place at the Le Golf National in Guyancourt, near Paris, an acclaimed venue in France.

Three courses are available at the facility: The Oiselet, Aigle, and Albatros.

The Albatros, which has successfully hosted the French Open since 1991 and Ryder Cup in 2018, is the proud host of the golf competition at the Paris Olympics.

The Albatros is a challenging layout, and the stunning final four holes, surrounded by water hazards, make it one of Europe’s finest courses.

The course combines characteristics of a Florida-style, Irish links, and French design. Ten holes have water hazards, and the tight fairways, difficult rough, and slick greens all contribute to the difficulty quotient.

Some of the signature holes of the Albatros are:

– 15th | Par 4 | 377 yards
Although it might not be the longest, precision is crucial to negotiate this. Before encircling an island green, a lake meanders around the fairway. The green is an island that shares land with the 18th.

– 16th | Par 3 | 150 yards
The 16th hole, which was altered for the Ryder Cup, is the course’s shortest par-3. It slopes downward to a green surrounded by water, mounds, and bunkers. To the right, undulations towards the lake is where high risk is encountered.

– 17th | Par 4 | 393 yards
Though the 17th hole doesn’t play like an easy hole, it may feel like an oasis in the middle of such a dramatic stretch since it lacks bunkers and water. It’s rather lengthy, slender and challenging. A mistake on the approach will put the ball in a grassy pit far below the green.

– 18th | Par 5 | 447 yards
The last hole will determine who steps on the podium. The green is floating on an island, reminiscent of the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass. Players must choose between six bunkers on the right or on the water to the left. It will probably require a layup to get up and down for par if it is left in the bunker.

Le Golf National will be the first course to hold both the Ryder Cup and Olympics, and whoever conquers the Albatros will be a deserving gold medalist.

Find out more here.

(Main images: USA Golf/ Ladies European Tour/ Instagram; Featured image: USA Golf)