Tiger Woods was on the outside of making the U.S. golf team for the Tokyo Summer Olympics when the sport spectacle was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
But Woods has plenty of time to make the team.
The International Golf Federation and International Olympic Committee announced Wednesday an adjustment to the qualifying system that will accommodate the new dates. Golfers now will accumulate Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR) points through June 21, 2021, for the men, and June 28 for the women. Field sizes for both the men and women remain at 60 players.
The Tokyo 2021 Summer Games have been rescheduled for July 23-Aug. 8, with the golf competitions scheduled to be held at Kasumigaseki Country Club.
MEN’S GOLF: Latest standings for men’s golf teams
WOMEN’S GOLF: Latest standings for women’s golf team
The Olympics Golf Rankings are based on the men’s Official World Golf Rankings and the Women’s World Golf Rankings (WWGR). On March 20, however, both rankings were frozen and it has yet to be determined when each will resume.
The top 15 players at the end of the qualifying period will be eligible for the Olympics, with a limit of four players per country. After the top 15, there will be a maximum of two players per country that doesn’t already have two or more players in the top 15. The host country will be guaranteed a spot.
As it stands on the men’s side, the U.S. is one of three countries – the others being England and Australia – with two or more players ranked in the top 15.
The USA would be represented by No. 3 Brooks Koepka, No. 4 Justin Thomas, No. 5 Dustin Johnson and No. 7 Patrick Reed. Johnson, however, said he wouldn’t participate in the 2020 Summer Games, although he might change his mind after the postponement.
The next in line are No. 8 Patrick Cantlay, No. 9 Webb Simpson and then No. 11 Woods, who went to the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles when he was 8 and has spoken often of his desire to play in the Olympics. He’ll be 45 next summer so he’s eyeing it as his last shot of making the squad.
No. 12 Xander Schauffele and No. 13 Bryson DeChambeau are also ranked in the top 15. The USA is so loaded that No. 16 Tony Finau, No. 17 Matt Kuchar and No. 18 Gary Woodland are also within grasp of a berth.
Currently on the women’s side, the most notable name not eligible for the Olympics is Inbee Park, who won the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games when golf returned after a 112-year absence. Park is at No. 11 in the rankings but sits as first alternate behind South Koreans Jin Young Ko, Sung Hyun Park, Sei Young Kim and Jeongeun Lee6.
The American team would be represented by Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang and Lexi Thompson. The host country, Japan, would also have three players: Nasa Hataoka, Hinako Shibuno and Ai Suzuki.
“The fairest and most equitable way to determine the qualifying athletes was to align the previous qualification system with these new dates,” said Antony Scanlon, IGF executive director. “The IGF will continue to work closely with the IOC and Tokyo 2020 to address the other areas that the postponement of the Games affects our sport and our athletes, to develop the necessary plans.”
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