Golf at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Qualification
Qualification for Golf at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is determined not by any form of qualifying tournament, but by the rankings maintained by the International Golf Federation.
Golf at the 2016 Summer Olympics | ||
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Qualification | ||
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Qualification was based on world ranking (Official World Golf Ranking for men, Women's World Golf Rankings for women) as of 11 July 2016, with a total of 60 players qualifying in each of the men's and women's events.[1] The top 15 players of each gender qualified, with a limit of four golfers per country that can qualify this way.[2][3] The remaining spots went to the highest-ranked players from countries that do not already have two golfers qualified, with a limit of two per country.[4] The IGF has guaranteed that at least one golfer from the host nation and each geographical region (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania) qualified.[3][5] The IGF posted weekly lists of qualifiers based on current rankings for men[6] and women.[7]
Qualified players
Men
The following men have removed themselves from possible qualification:
- Jason Day, Marc Leishman,[8] Matt Jones, and Adam Scott of Australia[9]
- Camilo Villegas of Colombia[10]
- Vijay Singh of Fiji[11][12]
- Victor Dubuisson of France[13]
- Shane Lowry, Graeme McDowell, and Rory McIlroy of Ireland[14]
- Francesco Molinari of Italy[15]
- Hideki Matsuyama[16] and Hideto Tanihara of Japan
- Tim Wilkinson of New Zealand[17]
- Angelo Que of Philippines[18]
- Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen,[19] and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa[20]
- Kim Kyung-tae of South Korea[13]
- Miguel Ángel Jiménez of Spain[11]
- Dustin Johnson[21] and Jordan Spieth[22] of the United States
- Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe[23]
The Zika virus, which can cause serious birth defects and is currently epidemic in Brazil, can live longer in semen than in blood, and might thus infect a male golfer's partner for up to six months later or even more. Consequently, far more top male golfers than top female golfers have withdrawn from the games.[24]
Women
(a) = amateur
The following women removed themselves from possible qualification:
- Dottie Ardina of Philippines[25]
- Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa[26][24]
The following women have been removed from possible qualification by their NOC:
- Christel Boeljon (ranked 35) and Anne van Dam (51) and first replacement Dewi Schreefel of the Netherlands[27]
- Cathryn Bristow (ranked 58) of New Zealand[28]
References
- Harig, Bob (5 March 2014). "Olympic golf qualifying date set". ESPN.
- "Olympic Games - Qualification System - IGF". International Golf Federation. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- Axson, Scooby (14 July 2014). "Rules for golf qualifying in the 2016 Olympic Games: U.S. will only get four players no matter how many in Top 15". Golf.com.
- "International Golf Federation". olympic.org. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- "Golf Qualification System for 2016 Olympics". 14 July 2014.
- "Olympic Rankings – Men". IGF.
- "Olympic Rankings – Women". IGF.
- "Marc Leishman withdraws from Rio Olympics amid Zika virus concerns". ESPN. Australian Associated Press. 5 May 2016.
- Harig, Bob (20 April 2016). "Australia's Adam Scott opts to not compete in Rio Olympics". ESPN.
- "Camilo Villegas drops out of Olympics". ESPN. Associated Press. 18 July 2016.
- "Vijay Singh Opts Out of Olympics". Around The Rings. 13 April 2016.
- "Vijay Singh no longer planning on participating in Olympic golf tournament". ESPN. Associated Press. 13 April 2016.
- "Victor Dubuisson, K.T. Kim Withdraw From Olympics in Rio". golf.com. Associated Press. 12 Jul 2016.
- "Rory McIlroy withdraws from Olympic Games amid Zika fears". ESPN. 22 June 2016.
- "Francesco Molinari the latest to withdraw from Rio Olympics". ESPN. PA Sport. 12 July 2016.
- Weinman, Sam (4 July 2016). "Hideki Matsuyama latest golfer to withdraw from Olympics". Golf Digest.
- "Wilkinson withdrew from Olympics selection". RadioSport. 10 May 2016.
- Ramos, Gerry (11 July 2016). "Filipino golfer Angelo Que skipping Rio Olympics, cites concern on zika virus as main reason". Spin.ph.
- "Oosthuizen latest top golfer to pull out of Rio Olympics". USA Today. Associated Press. 21 April 2016.
- Zaccardi, Nick (25 April 2016). "Charl Schwartzel withdraws from Olympic golf". NBC Sports.
- "Dustin Johnson cites Zika virus as reason for withdrawing from Games". ESPN. 9 July 2016.
- Harig, Bob (11 July 2016). "Jordan Spieth says he won't compete in Rio Olympics". ESPN.
- "Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge skipping Rio to try to keep PGA Tour card". ESPN. Associated Press. 6 July 2016.
- Eubanks, Steve (4 July 2016). "Women Pros See Olympics Differently". Golf Today. Archived from the original on 24 July 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
- "Fields confirmed for Olympic Games golf competitions". IGF. 19 July 2016. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
- "Lee-Anne Pace withdraws from Rio Games because of Zika". ESPN. Associated Press. 29 June 2016.
- "NOC*NSF laat alleen Luiten naar Rio gaan" [NOC*NSF only sends Luiten to Rio] (in Dutch). Nederlandse Omroep Stichting. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- "Golf: Ryan Fox, Danny Lee, Lydia Ko named in Olympic team". New Zealand Herald. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.