Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry will represent Ireland in the Olympic Games in Paris, after the cut-off point for qualifying passed.
The two Irish golfers were the highest ranked from the country, with the stipulation that the top 15 players on the Official World Golf Rankings are eligible for the Games, up to a maximum of four golfers from a single country.
After the top 15, the Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR) consist of up to the top two eligible players per country, as long as that country does not already have at least two players in the top 15. McIlroy is ranked second in the world rankings, while Lowry is 33rd, comfortably ahead of Séamus Power in 122nd. The Olympics is an individual event and the men’s tournament will take place from August 1st to 4th. McIlroy finished fourth in Tokyo and will be one of the favourites to win a medal in Paris.
The US team will be represented by recent Major winners Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, as well as Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa. US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau misses out as his ranking is 10th compared to Morikawa’s seventh, with no points accrued on the LIV Golf tour proving costly for his chances.
Three Irish players gain full status on Ladies European Tour next year
Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year Awards: ‘The greatest collection of women in Irish sport in one place ever assembled’
Two-time Olympic champion Kellie Harrington named Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year 2024
PGA decision to pay US Ryder Cup players a fatal blow for the competition’s old ethos
Britain will be represented by Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, while other high-ranked teams include Australia’s Jason Day and Min Woo Lee, South Korea’s Tom Kim and Byeung Hun-An and Canada’s Corey Conners and Nick Taylor.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
