As we edge closer to this year’s U.S. Open, and to the return of golf to the Olympics in 2016, we at OlympicTalk wish to once again bring you the potential field of Rio Olympics men’s golfers.
In the 60-man Rio field, rules dictate that the first fifteen golfers are determined by their spot in the world golf rankings regardless of nationality. After that, every eligible nation gets a max of two golfers, so long as those two spots aren’t already taken by athletes in the top fifteen. So in the case of Team USA, which would send six golfers, you better be high to very high in the rankings. As for Venezuela, just being No. 334 in the world would been enough to get you into the field. Also, as the host, Brazil automatically gets two spots, which will likely bump someone.
The current list also highlights how important Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell’s decision to play for either Great Britain or Ireland might be on the field. This list assumes they’ll play for Great Britain. But since both are in the top-fifteen, if they played for Ireland then the spots occupied by Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry would be given to another country further down the list.
Here’s the list as it stands based on this week’s World Golf Rankings:
1. Tiger Woods, USA
2. Rory McIlroy, Great Britain
3. Adam Scott, Australia
4. Matt Kuchar, USA
5. Justin Rose, Great Britain
6. Luke Donald, Great Britain
7. Brandt Snedeker, USA
8. Graeme McDowell, Great Britain
9. Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa
10. Phil Mickelson, USA
11. Lee Westwood, Great Britain
12. Keegan Bradley, USA
13. Steve Stricker, USA
14. Charl Schwartzel, South Africa
15. Sergio Garcia, Spain
16. (23) Peter Hanson, Sweden
17. (25) Matteo Manassero, Italy
18. (26) Jason Day, Australia
19. (33) Henrik Stenson, Sweden
20. (34) Martin Kaymer, Germany
21. (35) Thorbjorn Olesen, Denmark
22. (38) Francesco Molinari, Italy
23. (41) Gonzalo Fdez-Castano, Spain
24. (46) Nicolas Colsaerts, Belgium
25. (52) Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand
26. (58) Marcel Siem, Germany
27. (59) Angel Cabrera, Argentina
28. (62) Bernd Wiesberger, Austria
29. (64) Hideki Matsuyama, Japan
30. (66) Mikko Ilonen, Finland
31. (70) Padraig Harrington, Ireland
32. (72) Hiroyuki Fujita, Japan
33. (73) Thomas Bjorn, Denmark
34. (75) Brendon de Jonge, Zimbabwe
35. (81) Bae Sang-moon, Korea
36. (83) Shane Lowry, Ireland
37. (87) Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Thailand
38. (96) Joost Luiten, Holland
39. (98) K.J. Choi, Korea
40. (105) Graham Delaet, Canada
41. (111) Raphael Jacquelin, France
42. (118) Victor Dubuisson, France
43. (123) Gaganjeet Bhullar, India
44. (126) Felipe Aguilar, Chile
45. (136) Vijay Singh, Fiji
46. (139) Jeev Milkha Singh, India
47. (150) Ricardo Santos, Portugal
48. (157) Liang Wen-chong, China
49. (169) Juvic Pagunsan, Philippines
50. (170) Michael Hendry, New Zealand (50)
51. (193) David Hearn, Canada
52. (194) Wu Ashun, China
53. (209) Andres Romero, Argentina
54. (240) Siddikur Rahman, Bangladesh
55. (246) Camilo Villegas, Colombia
56. (253) Adilson da Silva, Brazil
57. (260) Espen Kofstad, Norway
58. (321) Tim Sluiter, Netherlands
59. (334) Jhonattan Vegas, Venezuela
60. (353) Alexandre Rocha, Brazil
However, if Rory and McDowell sign up with Ireland:
57. (334) Jhonattan Vegas, Venezuela
58. (341) Jose de Jesus Rodriguez, Mexico
59. (353) Alexandre Rocha, Brazil
60. (355) Antonio Lascuna, Philippines
