Nelly Korda claimed Team USA's second gold medal in the golf as the 23-year-old secured a one-shot victory over Japan's Mone Inami and New Zealand's Lydia Ko.

Nelly Korda Wins Tense Olympic Gold Medal

Six days after fellow countryman Xander Schauffele's triumph at Kasumigaseki Country Club, Korda would make it a double for Team USA.

The 23-year-old has been in superb form of late, claiming three titles already this season, including her first Major at the Women's PGA Championship.

Starting the final round three shots clear of the field, she would birdie the opening hole to extend the lead to four, with her nearest challenger, Lydia Ko, making four consecutive birdies to cut the deficit.

With Ko putting pressure on the American, Korda would make a scrappy double bogey at the par-3 7th, needing three attempts to chip over a ledge, her advantage was soon wiped out.

The 23-year-old recovered brilliantly though, with three consecutive birdies at the 8th, 9th and 10th regaining a three shot advantage to Ko.

As Korda manufactured her advantage, another challenger was soon emerging in the form of Japan's Mone Inami, with the home country favourite making four birdies on the bounce to move into a share of the lead.

Another birdie followed for the 22-year-old at the par-4 17th, with Inami still keeping in reach of her competitor.

Playing the 18th, the Japanese star would rue a costly bogey, setting the clubhouse target at 16-under-par.

With a one shot lead with only the last to play, Korda would need to wait a little longer for her gold medal, with a rain delay of around half an hour forcing the players off the course.

As the pair returned to the tough finishing hole, Korda would hold her nerve, securing the par she needed for Team USA's second gold medal in the golf.

In the battle for the silver and bronze medal places, Inami would defeat Ko in a playoff to secure the silver.

Ko, who finished in the silver medal position at the 2016 games, would miss her short par putt to claim the bronze medal.

Check out the tee times for the final day of the women's Olympic golf tournament in Tokyo

Olympic Golf Women’s Tee Times – Final Round

As the Women's Olympic golf competition moves into the final round, three separate groups of medal hopefuls will play together to determine who is standing on the podium at the end of the event.

World No.1 Nelly Korda is currently leading at the Tokyo Olympics by three shots over India's Aditi Ashok, after scoring 15-under in the opening three rounds.

She goes off at 1:18am GMT (8:18pm ET) with Ashok (-12) and 2016 silver medallist Lydia Ko, who is ten-under along with three other players.

Those three players include Australia's Hannah Green, Japan's Mone Inami, and Denmark's Emily Kristine Pedersen, who will tee off slightly earlier at 1:06am GMT (8:06pm ET).

Day one leader Madelene Sagstrom from Sweden will tee off 12 minutes before that, alongside Japan's Nasa Hataoka and Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen, who played with Korda and Ashok in the top group in round three.

The opening three rounds were largely affected by the high forecast temperatures, but heavy rains are predicted for the final day due to an incoming storm to Japan.

As a result, tee times for the final round, just like the third round, will begin from both the first and tenth tees in order to hopefully miss any potential downpours.

Players nearer the top of the leaderboard will start from the first tee, while the bottom half will start from the tenth.

Should the stormy weather leave the course unplayable, then the final round could move to Sunday, or even end the tournament as a 54-hole event.

Olympic Women’s Golf Tee Times – Final Round

*Times BST/ET

11:30pm/6:30pm (Tee 1): Daniela Darquea (ECU), Bianca Pagdanganan (PHI), Carlota Ciganda (ESP)

11:35pm/6:35pm (Tee 10): Patty Tavatanakit (THA), Maria Fassi (MEX), Jessica Korda (USA)

11:42pm/6:42pm (Tee 1): Inbee Park (KOR), Klara Spilkova (CZE), Lee Min (TPE)

11:47pm/6:47pm (Tee 10): Jodi Ewart Shadoff (GBR), Manon de Roey (BEL), Minjee Lee (AUS)

11:54pm/6:54pm (Tee 1): Perrine Delacour (FRA), Yuka Saso (PHI), Wei-Ling Hsu (TPE)

11:59pm/6:59pm (Tee 10): Gaby Lopez (MEX), Lexi Thompson (USA), Danielle Kang (USA)

12:06am/7:06pm (Tee 1): Hyo Joo Kim (KOR), Caroline Masson (GER), Anna Nordqvist (SWE)

12:11am/7:11pm(Tee 10): Celine Boutier (FRA), Brooke Henderson (CAN), Sophia Popov (GER)

12:18am/7:18pm (Tee 1): Albane Valenzuela (SUI), Sanna Nuutinen (FIN), Leona Maguire (IRL)

12:23am/7:23pm (Tee 10): Ariya Jutanugarn (THA), Alena Sharp (CAN), Pia Babnik (SLO)

Kim Metraux (SUI)

12:30am/7:30pm (Tee 1):  Sei Young Kim (KOR), Jin Young Ko (KOR), Xiyu Lin (CHN)

12:35am/7:35pm (Tee 10): Giulia Molinaro (ITA), Maha Haddioui (MOR), Kim Metraux (SUI)

12:42am/7:42pm (Tee 1): Matilda Castren (FIN), Shanshan Feng (CHN), Stephanie Meadow (IRL),

12:47am/7:47pm (Tee 10): Azahara Munoz (ESP), Kelly Tan (MAS), Diksha Dagar (IND)

12:54am/7:54pm (Tee 1): Nasa Hataoka (JPN), Madelene Sagstrom (SWE), Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DEN)

12:59am/7:59pm (Tee 10): Tiffany Chan (HKG), Mariajo Uribe (COL), Maria Torres (PUR)

1:06am/8:06pm (Tee 1): Hannah Green (AUS), Emily Kristine Pedersen (DEN),  Mone Inami (JPN)

1:11am/8:11am (Tee 10): Anne van Dam (NED), Christine Wolff (AUT), Magdalena Simmermacher (ARG)

1:18am/8:18pm (Tee 1): Nelly Korda (USA),  Aditi Ashok (IND), Lydia Ko (NZL)

1:23am/8:23pm (Tee 10): Mel Reid (GBR), Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso (ITA), Tonje Daffinrud (NOR)

Nelly Korda still tops the leaderboard heading into the final day of Women's Olympic golf, but Aditi Ashok remains in contention for the gold medal

Nelly Korda Retains Olympic Lead Amid Pressure From Aditi Ashok

Nelly Korda has retained her lead in the Women's Olympic golf competition at Kasumigaseki Country Club following the third round of the tournament, but Aditi Ashok is mounting a surprise challenge on the World No.1 for the gold medal.

Korda, who posted a incredible nine-under 62 in the second-round, is currently 15-under heading into the final round of the Olympics, though she only managed 69 in the third round.

Meanwhile, India's Aditi Ashok scored 68 in round three to move into second place and 12-under, applying pressure to Korda's three shot lead.

The American had hoped to distance herself from the field heading into the final round, but after she made three early birdies in the round, a bogey on hole eight saw her par the remaining holes.

“I feel like that's kind of the goal going into every round is to play the best I possibly can and maybe get a comfortable lead," said Korda.

"But that's the thing about golf, once you get a little too comfortable it humbles you when you start making mistakes and you get ahead of yourself.

“It was very upsetting that I bogeyed a par-5, there's something inside of me when I bogey a par-5 that I just get so frustrated about because I shouldn't be doing that".

Korda played in the same group as Ashok and Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen in round three, and afterwards the Indian revealed that she had tested positive for Covid-19 in May and June, resulting in a loss of around 15 yards off the tee.

“I do think it took a little bit of strength out of me," said Ashok, "I was never this short.

"I was always short but not like 50 behind Nelly and 50 behind Nanna.”

Despite this, Ashok still managed to hit 17 of the 18 greens in round three, four more than Korda achieved.

According to Korda, Ashok's putting isn't too bad either.

“She's a really solid putter,” said Korda after they played together.

"She rolls it really nicely and there's this kind of like confidence she has on the putting green, she has some kind of swag and she owns it.”

Competition for the bronze medal is extremely tight too, with four players in T3, all 10-under: 2016 silver medallist Lydia Ko from New Zealand, Japan's Mone Inami, Australia's Hannah Green, and Denmark's Emily Kristine Pedersen.

Day one leader Madelene Sagstrom is still in contention for a medal, as she is eight-under heading into the final round, alongside Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Nasa Hataoka.

The final round will see play begin from the first and tenth tees at 6:30am (JST) once again, in order to try and beat predicted heavy rains from a tropical storm headed toward Japan.

Should the stormy weather leave the course unplayable, then the final round could move to Sunday, or even end the tournament as a 54-hole event.

Nelly Korda settled for 62 after narrowly missed out on hitting 59 in the second-round of the Olympic Women's golf

Nelly Korda Shoots 62 To Take Four-Shot Olympic Lead

Nelly Korda has taken a four-shot lead in the Olympic Women's golf competition, after posting a sublime 62 in the second-round at Kasumigaseki Country Club.

The World No.1 had the chance to complete the second 59 in the history of the professional women's game heading into the final hole - achieved only by the legendary Annika Sorenstam back in 2001 - though she unfortunately squandered it with a double-bogey instead.

Despite that, Korda's score included nine birdies and an eagle, leaving her four shots clear at the top of the standings with a 13-under total at the halfway point of the women's competition.

“I was like, oh, cool, I have a pretty good lead going into 18," said Korda.

"But unfortunate that double on 18, but that's golf and that's just how it goes sometimes.

“I had a really good stretch of holes, I think I was like 4-under or 5-under through four holes at one point on the back - or on the front.

"On the front I was definitely hitting it better and on the back, I wasn't hitting it as well but making the longer putts.”

The American came into the 18th needing a birdie to score a the magic number, but a tee shot into the right rough left her playing catch-up on the hole, and dropped two shots after going on to find a bunker.

Danish duo Nanna Koerstz Madsen & Emily Kristine Pedersen are both sitting in T2 alongside Aditi Ashok, all nine-under for the first two rounds. 

Team Denmark have so far made 14 birdies and two eagles at the Tokyo Olympics, while Ashok has hit just one bogey all tournament.

Madelene Sagstrom, the leader from the first-round, is still in the mix after hitting 68 to go eight-under.

The heat, like the opening day, once again proved unbearable for all involved, with Korda even claiming her technique got sloppy in the sun, but her putting managed to save her on several holes.

Temperatures reached a week-high of 43C/109F, which is also expected for Friday as tee times for the third-round will be off the first and tenth tees from 7:30-9:23am (JST).

The final day of the competition is still planned for Saturday weather permitting, however if the stormy weather leaves the course unplayable then that could move to Sunday, or even end the tournament as a 54-hole event.

Check out the tee times for day two of the women's Olympic golf tournament in Tokyo

Olympic Golf Women's Tee Times - Round Two

Following the conclusion of the men's golf at the Olympics, where Xander Schauffele picked up the gold medal, the women are now taking centre stage at Kasumigaseki Country Club.

Day one leader Madelene Sagstrom (-5) goes off at 11.52pm GMT (6.52pm ET) with Emily Pedersen (-1) and Xiyu Lin (E).

The group featuring Rio 2016 gold medallist Inbee Park (-2), silver medallist Lydia Ko (-1) and bronze medallist Shanshan Feng (+3) are off at 2.26am BST (9.36pm ET).

The top-two ranked players in the world, Nelly Korda (-4) and Jin Young Ko (-3) along with home favourite and World No.11 Nasa Hataoka  (-1) play at 2.14am GMT (9.14pm ET).

Meanwhile, three reigning Major champions Sophia Popov (E), Minjee Lee (E), and Patty Tavatanakit (E) - the respective winners of the 2020 Women's Open, 2021 Evian Championship and the 2021 ANA Inspiration - play at 12.14am GMT (7.14pm ET).

Olympic Women's Golf Tee Times - Round Two

*Times BST/ET

11.30pm/6.30pm: Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DEN), Aditi Ashok (IND), Giulia Molinaro (ITA)

11:41pm/6.41pm: Wei-Ling Hsu (TPE), Azahara Munoz (ESP), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (GBR)

11.52pm/6.52pm: Xiyu Lin (CHN), EK Pedersen (DEN), Madelene Sagstrom (SWE)

12.03am/7.03pm: Jessica Korda (USA), Celine Boutier (FRA), Gaby Lopez (MEX)

12.14am/7.14pm: Minjee Lee (AUS), Patty Tavatanakit (THA), Sophia Popov (GER)

12.25am/7.25pm: Ariya Jutanugarn (THA), Hyo-Joo Kim (KOR), Carlotta Ciganda, (ESP)

12.41am/7.41pm: Danielle Kang (USA), Hannah Green (AUS), Sei Young Kim (KOR)

12.52am/7.52pm: Min Lee (TPE), Stephanie Meadow (IRL), Perrine Delacour (FRA)

1.03am/8.03pm: Mariajo Uribe (COL), Pia Babnik (SLO), Magdelna Simmermacher (ARG)

1.14am/8.14pm: Diksha Dagar (IND), Kim Metraux (SUI), Tonje Daffinrud (NOR)

1.25am/8.25pm: Mone Inami (JPN), Maria Fassi (MEX), Albane Valenzuela (SUI)

1.36am/8.36pm: Kelly Tan (MAS), Alena Sharp (CAN), Anne van Dam (NED)

1.47am/8.47pm: Leona Maguire (IRL), Bianca Pagdanganan (PHI), Matilda Castren (FIN)

2.03am/9.03pm: Mel Reid (GBR), Caroline Masson (GER), Anna Nordqvist (SWE)

2.14am/9.14pm: Nasa Hataoka (JPN), Jin Young Ko (KOR), Nelly Korda (USA)

2.25am/9.25pm: Brooke Henderson (CAN), Lexi Thompson (USA), Yuka Saso (PHI)

2.36am/9.36pm: Inbee Park (KOR), Lydia Ko (NZL), Shanshan Feng (CHI)

2.47am/9.47pm: Sanna Nuutinen (FIN), Maria Torres (PUR), Tiffany Chan (HKG)

2.58am/9.58pm: Klara Spilkova (CZE), Manon de Roey (BEL), Christine Wolf (AUT)

3.09am/10.09pm: Maha Haddioui (MAR), Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso (ITA), Daneiel Darquea (ECU)

It's time for the women's Olympic golf tournament. Who will win?

Tokyo 2020 Women's Olympic Golf Betting Tips

Tokyo 2020 Women's Olympic Golf Betting Tips

Asian stars Yuka Saso, Nasa Hataoka and Patty Tavatanakit can dominate the women’s Olympic golf at Kasumigaseki this week and compensate for Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama’s gallant failure to medal for Japan at the end of a Sunday thriller.

Now Hataoka carries the burden of being Japan’s big hope for gold but with Kasumigaseki reduced from last week by over a thousand yards to 6419 from the ladies’ boxes, 5ft 2in Hataoka’s lack of power is unlikely to cost a medal of some sort.

A four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, she almost picked up her first Major when losing out in a playoff to rookie Saso at the US Open.

A repeat shootout with the brilliant Saso, who back in June was still a teenager, is not ruled out.

If not Hataoka, then Saso would be next best for the golf-mad fans as she has a Japanese father but here she’s representing the Philippines, a country already flying high after celebrating its first-ever gold through weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.

So cool under pressure when emerging triumphant from a nerve-jangling three-hole playoff at the appropriately-named Olympic club, fearless Saso looks value at around 28/1.

Thai star Tavatanakit is another Major winner worthy of attention.

Nicknamed Meow in her homeland, the power-packed 21-year-old won the ANA Inspiration in the spring and gave it a good go when fifth in the more recent PGA Championship. She’s the real deal.

All three are facing tough American opposition led by world No. 1 and favourite Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang and Lexi Thompson, while world No. 2 Jin Young Ko and the evergreen Inbee Park who is chasing an eighth Major victory are also much feared.

Maybe not quite the flat-stick magician she was when tagged best putter on any tour, Inbee is the defending Olympic champion having won gold in Rio five years ago.

She didn’t just win, she annihilated them, finishing five clear of Lydia Ko, with Chinese star Shanshan Feng in third.

A winner at the start of this year, she is hard to leave out.

If there is to be a European winner take a look at Matilda Castren, an unknown at start of the year who has compelling recent form, breaking through at the Mediheal in June - the first Finn to win on the LPGA Tour - and then beating all bar Jin Young Ko at the Volunteers of America.

It’s going to hot, hot, hot all week (over 30C) with a sprinkling of rain at the weekend and punters will get 72 holes for their money as there is no cut.

Play starts in the wee small hours of Wednesday (a day earlier than last week’s men won by 9/1 American Xander Schauffele) so don’t be late in placing your bets.

Check out how the GM Tipster is getting on this year on our Golf Betting Tips homepage.

Tokyo 2020 Women's Olympic Golf Betting Tips

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Despite the pandemic and a number of withdrawals, Tokyo 2020 was a huge success for the game of golf

Golf made its second appearance in the Olympics since 1904 at Tokyo 2020 as Xander Schauffele took the gold medal at Kasumigaseki Country Club.

Xander made a clutch par save on the 18th hole after chipping out of the trees to edge out Slovakia's Rory Sabbatini, who took silver.

The bronze medal went to CT Pan after a marathon seven-man playoff, which featured the likes of Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa and Paul Casey.

McIlroy wasn't in Rio last time out but he will be in Paris in three years if he makes the team after getting bitten by the Olympic bug.

"Coming here experiencing it, seeing, feeling everything that goes on, not just Olympic golf but just the Olympics in general, that sort of Olympic spirit’s definitely bitten me and I’m excited how this week’s turned out and excited for the future," he said.

Rory also said that he had never tried to hard so finish third before in his life.

McIlroy's attendance, and crucially his words, ensure that golf's relationship with the Olympics continues to grow.

Whilst he might not currently be the best player in the world, he is the biggest name and the figurehead of the sport as Tiger Woods remains sidelined.

Rory clearly loved his experience and played his heart out to try and win the bronze, and he will surely be telling stories and urging everyone to realise their Olympic dream over the next three years.

Whilst watching the conclusion it was clear just how much the Games and the gold, silver and bronze meant to the competitors.

They weren't competing for $1.5m or 500 FedEx Cup points, a PGA Tour card or job security, they were competing for their nations and for arguably the greatest prize in sport.

The Games shows off competition in its purest nature and golf is as great a sport as there is.

There were fewer withdrawals this time around than in Rio, where Zika virus was a common excuse, so next time in Paris there will hopefully be no Covid concerns and a field as strong as possible.

The Dustin Johnsons of this world may still take some convincing but there will certainly be a packed field once again, headlined by a determined Rory McIlroy who must only have a Green Jacket ahead of a gold medal in his career goals now.

It is very clear that the majority of players are now on side but the fans are not quite there yet.

What will it take to get the fans on-side?

Firstly, better coverage is a must.

In the UK, the golf was difficult to watch via the BBC and instead shown on the pay-to-watch Eurosport player for the much of the first three days.

We managed to see the conclusion as the BBC showed live golf for the first and only time in 2021.

Olympic broadcast rights are a tricky one and it's tough to show 20 hours of live golf over four days when there are dozens of other amazing sports also fighting to be shown.

We'd all love to stick on Sky Sports and watch wall-to-wall coverage of the Paris 2024 golf events at Le Golf National. We can only hope that happens but can't expect anything.

The format is also not a fan-favourite, being the standard 72-holes that we see 50 weeks a year.

Should it be 54-holes? That would certainly help its chances of gaining more air time.

Many fans are also crying out for amateurs to take the reins as the pros 'don't care', although that point is less valid when the world's best players, McIlroy included, are so strong in their praise for the competition.

There could also be mixed events or other formats like match play, foursomes or a wider team event.

That doesn't look likely and more medals up for grabs would not go down well with the likes of the PGA, LPGA, European and Ladies European Tours, which all run packed schedules throughout the summer months.

So is the answer to simply keep it as it is?

The Olympics is clearly growing on the players and the medals are only going to get more and more prestigious as the years go by.

I'm a huge fan of golf in the Olympics and whilst it probably isn't perfect, it's a very welcome addition to a schedule.

Bring on Paris!

Let us know your thoughts on social media

The four-time Major winner loved his Olympic experience and is already thinking about Paris in 2024

Rory McIlroy didn't come home with a medal but appeared to have one of the best weeks of his career in Tokyo at the Olympic Games.

Despite saying that he wasn't patriotic before the Games and sounding unenthusiastic, he revealed after that the Olympic spirit has "definitely bitten me."

He eventually lost out in a playoff for the bronze medal and is already eyeing up a return to the Olympics at Paris 2024 in three years time.

“I never tried so hard in my life to finish third," he said after narrowly missing out on bronze, revealing that he "made some comments before that were probably uneducated and impulsive."

"But coming here experiencing it, seeing, feeling everything that goes on, not just Olympic golf but just the Olympics in general, that sort of Olympic spirit's definitely bitten me and I'm excited how this week's turned out and excited for the future.

"It's not a position I've found myself in very often [trying his all for third position] but I gave it my all out there and it wasn't quite meant to be, but I'm looking forward to having a crack at it again.

"It's not just another golf tournament. It's something much bigger than that.

"I didn't realise that until I got here. I feel like golf has its Olympic Games four times a year, but this has a different feeling, it really does.

"I've really enjoyed teaming up with Shane for Ireland. It's like a throwback to our amateur days.

"I'm really happy with how the week has gone. It would have been great to get a medal, but I'm already excited for what's ahead and my next Olympic experience.

"Before this week, it might have been something that wasn't fully on my radar, but leaving Tokyo, it's something that I really want to do."

Make sure you know all the details on how to watch the golf coverage at the Olympic Games.

Olympic Games Golf TV Coverage 2021

Inbee Park will defend her Olympic gold medal from the 2016 Games this week but she will have to beat a star-studded field that includes Major winners and several former world number one players, as well as current number one Nelly Korda.

Given the quality of the field and the awesome Kasumigaseki Country Club, you'd be mad to miss any of it.

Below are all the TV coverage details to make sure you miss none of the action.

The Olympics will be shown on a variety of channels around the world but two of the most important are the BBC (UK) and NBC (US).

If you find yourself away from home but still want to continue to watch the Olympics, on the BBC for example, then a VPN could be the way to go.

That way you will have access to the event anywhere in the world.

Olympic Games Golf TV Coverage 2021

BBC Olympic Games Golf Coverage

Across all the events at the Olympic there will be live coverage on BBC One every day, starting at midnight and normally running until around 9pm.

BBC Two will then show a daily highlights show from 9-10pm.

If you want to watch a sport that isn’t currently showing on BBC One you can stream various options on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

The BBC is set to cover over 350 hours of uninterrupted coverage live.

Eurosport Olympic Games Coverage

Alternatively you can watch the Olympics through Eurosport via Amazon Prime.

Eurosport has live coverage, highlights and special wrap up shows called Tokyo Today so you can get your Olympic fix easily.

Right now you can get a 30-day free trial which means you can see a whole host of events from Tokyo and there are other perks too such as Amazon Prime Video and next day delivery.

After the 30-day free trial is up the rate goes to £7.99 a month.

Olympic Games Golf Coverage In The US

Live TV Coverage is on NBC's Golf Channel

The platform will televise many hours of coverage for the women's event. (All timings here are ET)

Women’s

• Tuesday 3rd August 6.30pm-3am Golf Channel
• Wednesday 4th August 6.30pm-3am Golf Channel
• Thursday 5th August 6.30pm-3am Golf Channel
• Friday 6th August 6.30pm-3am Golf Channel

NBC’s Golf Channel will televise a lot of the golf.

You can access the Golf Channel through streaming options such as AT&T TV Now and fuboTV.

AT&T TV Now starts at around $55 a month but does have a 7-day free trial.

For more news from the Olympics, check out the Golf Monthly website.

Take a look at how social media reacted to Xander Schauffele's thrilling Olympic victory.

Social Media Reacts To Xander Schauffele's Olympic Victory

In a hugely dramatic final round, Xander Schauffele produced a 67 to win by just a single shot from Rory Sabbatini, who, around an hour and a half earlier, had shot an Olympic record score of 61.

Over the last two holes, Schauffele made two incredible up-and-downs, birdieing the 17th from the bunker. He would go on to make a par from a 100-yards away at the last hole to secure a one shot win.

The victory was an incredibly emotional one for the Schauffele family. His Dad, Stefan, was an aspiring decathlete in Germany.

However, 40 years ago a drunk driver slammed into his car head-on near Weisbaden. On impact, a shard of glass wedged in his left eye, and six operations couldn’t save it. Taking two years away from his sport, he would lose sight in his eye, ending his Olympic dream.

Now, 40 years on from that fateful day, his son would complete his and his Father’s Olympic dream of a gold medal.

Check out how social media reacted to the round below:

Shauffele's reaction after the win:

It wasn't just the American's win where people were talking. In the battle for the bronze medal, we saw an incredible seven man playoff.

During the playoff, the winner of the bronze medal, Pan was seen carrying a few clubs so that the bag was lighter for his caddie.

We even had players wondering if the Olympic format could be mixed in the future.

C.T. Pan produced a par at the fourth playoff hole to secure a bronze medal for Chinese Taipei.

C.T. Pan Overcomes Seven Man Playoff To Claim Bronze Medal

In an amazing final day, it was C.T. Pan who would secure the final podium position, overcoming Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama, Sebastián Muñoz and Mito Pereira in the first ever seven man playoff.

After playing three playoff holes, the Chinese Taipei star would make a superb par at the fourth playoff hole to secure the countries eighth medal of the games.

It had been an enthralling final day's action, with Morikawa and Pan both shooting 63 to get to the 15-under-par tournament total.

They were joined by McIlroy, Muñoz and Pereira, who both shot 67's, Casey who produced a 68 and home country favourite, Matsuyama, who delivered a 69.

At the first playoff hole, the four ball of Pan, Muñoz, Morikawa and Pereira would all make par, with the quartet tapping in gimme range putts.

In the following group, it would be Masters champion, Matsuyama and 15-time European Tour winner, Casey, who would bow out of the playoff. With both making bogies at the 18th hole.

The five players would then move onto the par-3 10th, with all five producing solid pars to advance to the 11th and third playoff hole.

With all hitting relatively good drives, Morikawa demonstrated his laser-like iron play, almost slam dunking his approach shot into the hole.

But his likely victory was cut short, with Pan almost holing his approach shot too, both leaving themselves gimme range putts for birdie.

Pereira and McIlroy followed with their approach shots, although both their six-foot birdie attempts came up shy, with Muñoz also out of the running alongside the duo.

So, it would come down to Pan and the Champion Golfer of the Year, Morikawa, who took first advantage, with his drive in the more favourable position.

Pan, however, would pump his second shot from the rough to pin high of the flag, leaving himself a relatively straight forward up-and down from the left of the green.

And it was soon advantage to the 29-year-old, with Morikawa chunking his approach shot into the greenside bunker, with The Open champion faced with one of the worst plugged lies you will ever see.

Doing well to splash the shot out, the 24-year-old would lag his putt to the hole, leaving Pan a six-footer for the bronze medal, which he would duly roll in for a four and one of the biggest moments of his career.

Xander Schauffele produced a birdie and an outstanding up-and-down over the last two holes to hold off Rory Sabbatini and claim Olympic gold by just a single shot.

Xander Schauffele Wins Incredible Olympic Gold Medal

In a hugely dramatic final round, the American produced a 67 to win by just a single shot from Rory Sabbatini, who, around an hour and a half earlier, had shot an Olympic record score of 61.

With Schauffele and Sabbatini securing the gold and silver, it would be a seven man playoff for the bronze, with Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama, Sebastián Muñoz, C.T. Pan and Mito Pereira vying for the final medal.

In an already tense day, it was C.T Pan who overcame the challengers, producing a par at the fourth playoff hole to claim the bronze for Team Chinese Taipei.

But the day was all about Schauffele, who said after his round: "It feels good. For me I wanted this for my Dad more than anything. I tried to represent my country, and then my family. It was really fun."

His Dad, Stefan, was an aspiring decathlete in Germany. However, 40 years ago a drunk driver slammed into his car head-on near Weisbaden. On impact, a shard of glass wedged in his left eye, and six operations couldn’t save it. Taking two years away from his sport, he would lose sight in his eye, ending his Olympic dream.

The victory was, therefore, an incredibly emotional one for the Schauffele family, but now they have that illusive gold medal.

Starting the final round just one shot ahead, he would birdie the opening two holes, with further birdies at the 5th and 8th putting him two clear going into the back nine.

As the round wore on, it was Slovakian, Sabbatini, who was emerging as his nearest challenger, with a five-under par front nine cutting down his seven shot deficit to the overnight leader.

In search of his first victory since the 2011 Honda Classic, he would produce six birdies and a single bogey over the back nine to secure a 10-under-par 61, and a new Olympic scoring record.

With Sabbatini in the clubhouse at 17-under-par, he would endure a long wait as the leaders played out their back nine.

It seemed that the pressure was beginning to show for Schauffele, as he bogeyed one of the easiest holes on the course, the par-5 14th.

Now in a share of the gold medal position, the American would need to find a birdie over the subsequent final holes to avoid a playoff with the Slovak.

As the round drew to its finale, the 27-year-old would find his birdie at the driveable par-4 17th, splashing out from the greenside bunker, he would knock in his short putt to have a one shot advantage down the last.

There was still time for yet more drama though! With the American's drive down the last being pushed to the right, he would be blocked out with his second, forcing him into a chip out down the fairway.

Leaving himself 100-yards in, Schauffele demonstrated his superb wedge play yet again. With the ball pitching past the hole, it would spin back to under three-feet, a huge moment under pressure.

Rolling the par putt in, the American would finally complete his and his Father's Olympic dream of a gold medal.

Rory Sabbatini produced an Olympic scoring record at Kasumigaseki Country Club, with his final round 61 good enough for Slovakia's third medal of the Tokyo Olympics.

Rory Sabbatini Makes History With Olympic Silver Medal

Having started the day seven shots back of overnight leader, Xander Schauffele, the Slovakian produced one of the rounds of his life in Japan, with an eagle, 10 birdies and two bogies good enough for a 10-under-par round of 61.

Sabbatini, who was the oldest player in the field, would have needed a 60 just to get into a playoff with eventual winner, Schauffele.

However, he would settle for the silver medal, with a closing birdie being fist pumped before the ball had even hit the bottom of the cup.

Sabbatini, who has six PGA Tour wins, with his last coming at the 2011 Honda Classic, is representing Slovakia despite winning the 2003 WGC World Cup with South African, Trevor Immelman.

After marrying Stofanikova, Sabbatini could claim Slovakian citizenship due to the marriage.

Stofanikova's cousin, Rastislav Antal, who is the current President of the Slovak Golf Association, suggested to Sabbatini that he could take advantage of a bylaw to Rule 41 of the Olympic Charter that allows athletes of dual citizenship to represent the nation of their choice.

Related: How Rory Sabbatini Qualified For The Olympics

As a result, Sabbatini started representing the nation of Slovakia, a country with only 9,000 registered golfers and 26 golf courses.

“The whole principle about me getting my Slovak citizenship and representing Slovakia is to try and generate interest among the junior golfers and to create future generations of Slovak golfers. Hopefully this (silver medal) can add that little extra fuel to the fire.

“It’s been a great environment to be around all the Slovak athletes and the Olympic team and they have been very hospitable and welcoming and we have had a lot of fun in the team room."

We are in store for a cracking final day at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Take a look at who the medal contenders are here.

Who Are The Favourites To Win Medals At The Olympic Men’s Golf Tournament?

Team USA's Xander Schauffele will take a one stroke lead into the final round of the Olympics, where 15 players are within six shots of the lead.

Among those players, we have current and former Major champions, as well as PGA and European Tour winners.

Take a look at the leading nations and players below.

USA

Coming into the event, all four players of Team USA were ranked among the favourites. That decision seems to be justified as world number five Xander Schauffele sits top of the leaderboard.

The 27-year-old has produced rounds of 68, 63 and 68 for a 14-under-par tournament total and one shot lead over Hideki Matsuyama.

Related: Xander Schauffele Takes Slim Lead Into Final Round Of Olympics

Schauffele, who hasn't won an event since January 2019, has come close to victory on multiple occasions this season, with seven top-10's, including three runner-up finishes.

Now leading at the Olympics, it's a certainty that he will be contending for a medal on Sunday.

Although an American is leading the event, his teammates have struggled, with recent Champion Golfer of the Year, Collin Morikawa, the next best American in T17th.

Currently sitting seven back from the leader, the 24-year-old is three clear of his other two countrymen, Patrick Reed and Justin Thomas, who are both at four-under-par.

Japan

The host nation have put their gold medal hopes on Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, with the 29-year-old delivering to currently sit in the silver medal position.

Coming into the event, Matsuyama said: “If I said there’s no pressure I would be lying, so hopefully I’ll be able to embrace the pressure that’s upon me and just try to put together a nice tournament here.”

After a first round 69 put him six shots off the pace, the Japanese star recovered superbly, shooting a seven-under-par second round, before a third round 67 put him at 13-under for the event.

Despite recovering from Covid only a matter of weeks ago, Matsuyama has played superbly and should be given a huge amount of credit and respect for how he has dealt with the pressure. Hopefully he can complete the dream of winning a gold medal for Japan in his home country.

GB

Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood delivered a strong showing during the third round to sit comfortably inside the top-10 going into the final day.

Casey, who is currently in the bronze medal position alongside Carlos Ortiz, has produced rounds of 67, 68 and 66 to sit two strokes back from Schauffele.

The Team GB athlete already has one victory this season, coming at the Dubai Desert Classic, and will be hoping to add a gold medal to his already stacked trophy cabinet.

Fleetwood, on the other hand, looked to be too far back to spring a challenge going into the weekend. That was until he produced nine birdies for a seven-under-par 64.

Catapulting 15 places up the leaderboard, he now sits two shots back off the bronze medal position and four back from the leader.

Ireland

Another duo with a chance of an Olympic medal is Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, who are currently placed inside the top-10.

McIlroy, who revealed earlier in the tournament that he was "already looking forward” to the Paris Olympics, produced a third round 67 to sit at 11-under-par.

His playing partner, and fellow Ireland athlete, Lowry, is just one shot back of McIlroy at 10-under-par, with the 34-year-old in some great form after a T12 finish at The Open Championship a fortnight ago.

Mexico

Carlos Ortiz will be looking to secure Mexico's first gold medal of the 2020 Olympics as he sits two back of the lead and in a tie for bronze with Casey.

The former PGA Tour winner has been steady throughout the tournament, staying inside the top-10 since the very first round.

With Mexico already securing two bronzes at the Olympics (Archery and Diving), the 30-year-old will hope to add his name to the history books, and secure a medal for his country.

Related: Olympic Golf Men's Tee Times; Final Round

Check out the tee times for the final round of the men's Olympic golf tournament in Tokyo...

Olympic Golf Men's Tee Times - Final Round

The men's Olympic Games golf tournament heads into the final round at Kasumigaseki Country Club, with Team USA's Xander Schauffele leading by just one shot.

After a closing birdie in his final round, Schauffele leads Japan's golfing superstar Hideki Matsuyama, with a number of big names in hot pursuit.

Related: Xander Schauffele Takes Slim Lead Into Final Round Of Olympics

Team GB's Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood sit inside the top-10 in Tokyo, with Casey currently in the bronze medal position alongside Mexico's Carlos Ortiz.

There was also a good showing from Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, as they continue to keep Ireland's hope of a medal alive.

The duo, who were paired together for the third round, shot four (McIlroy) and three-under-par (Lowry) rounds to also sit inside the top-10.

Olympic Golf Men's Tee Times - Final Round

*Times BST/ET

11.30pm/6.30pm: Rafael Campos (PUR), Gavin Green (MAS), Ondrej Lieser (CZE)

11.41pm/6.41pm: Juvic Pagunsan (PHI), Ryan Fox (NZL), Udayan Mane (IND)

11.52pm/6.52pm: Gunn Charoenkul (THA), Kalle Samooja (FIN), Jorge Campillo (ESP)

12.03am/7.03pm: Henrik Norlander (SWE), Marc Leishman (AUS), Kristian K. Johannessen (NOR)

12.14am/7.14pm: Rikuya Hoshino (JPN), Garrick Higgo (RSA), Adrian Meronk (POL)

12.25am/7.25pm: Antoine Rozner (FRA), Ashun Wu (CHN), Adri Arnaus (ESP)

12.41am/7.41pm: Justin Thomas (USA), Maximillian Kieffer (GER) Hurly Long (GER)

12.52am/7.52pm: Viktor Hovland (NOR), Si Woo Kim (KOR), Patrick Reed (USA)

1.03am/8.03pm: Romain Langasque (FRA), Matthias Schwab (AUT), Renato Paratore (ITA)

1.14am/8.14pm: Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Sami Valimaki (FIN)

1.25am/8.25pm: Anirban Lahiri (IND), Yechun Yuan (CHN), Rasmus Hojgaard (DEN)

1.36am/8.36pm: Jhonattan Vegas (VEN), Sungjae Im (KOR), Alex Noren (SWE)

1.47am/8.47pm: C.T. Pan (TPE), Mackenzie Hughes (CAN), Rory Sabbatini (SVK)

2.03am/9.03pm: Scott Vincent (ZIM),Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA), Corey Conners (CAN)

2.14am/9.14pm: Thomas Detry (BEL), Joachim B Hansen (DEN), Collin Morikawa (USA)

2.25am/9.25pm: Guido Migliozzi (ITA), Joaquin Niemann (CHI), Thomas Pieters (BEL)

2.35am/9.36pm: Shane Lowry (IRL), Abraham Ancer (MEX), Cameron Smith (AUS)

2.47am/9.47pm: Mito Pereira (CHI), Sepp Straka (AUT), Tommy Fleetwood (GBR)

2.58am/9.58pm: Carlos Ortiz (MEX), Sebastián Muñoz (COL), Rory McIlroy (IRL)

3.09am/10.09pm: Xander Schauffele (USA), Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Paul Casey (GBR)

Xander Schauffele will take a one-shot lead into the final day of the Olympics, with a whole host of big names in hot pursuit of the American.

Xander Schauffele Takes Slim Lead Into Final Round Of Olympics

Team USA's Xander Schauffele produced a stunning birdie at the final hole to secure the 54-hole lead at Kasumigaseki Country Club.

In hot pursuit of Schauffele is Japan's golfing superstar Hideki Matsuyama, who put together a four-under-par round of 67 to sit just one shot back.

There was good news for Team GB as Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood sit inside the top-10 in Tokyo.

Casey fired six birdies and a single bogey in his five-under-par round to sit two shots back, whilst Fleetwood shot one of the rounds of the day (64), leaving him just four behind going into the final day.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry continue to keep Ireland's hope of a medal alive. The duo, who were paired together for the third round, shot four (McIlroy) and three-under-par (Lowry) rounds to also sit inside the top-10.

Currently though, it's Schauffele who leads the way, but it is still far from over, with the American finding himself tied alongside multiple players throughout the third round.

After a one-under-par front nine, the 27-year-old was soon in a five-way tie for the lead, before birdies at the 11th and 15th put him back in front by two.

That slim margin soon evaporated though, as Schauffele bogeyed the par-3 16th, whilst his playing partner, Carlos Ortiz, drained a huge birdie putt for a crucial two-shot swing.

Up ahead, Casey was putting on a charge for Team GB, with back-to-back closing birdies putting the 44-year-old as the clubhouse leader at 12-under-par.

However, he was soon passed by Schauffele and Matsuyama, who revealed he was "a little bit nervous,” about the prospect of competing at the Olympics in his home country.

Whatever nerves there were, they weren't on show for the 29-year-old, as a birdie on the 17th put him to 13-under-par and in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard with Ortiz and Schauffele.

But, a closing birdie for Schauffele, would give the American a slim advantage going into the final day, his 14-under-par total leading a stacked chasing pack.

The leaderboard is shaping up very nicely at Kasumigaseki Country Club with two days left of the men's Olympic golf tournament

Xander Schauffele matched the low round of the Olympic Golf tournament so far with a 63 on day two to lead at the near-halfway mark.

Play was suspended due to to dangerous weather with a few groups still yet to complete their rounds at Kasumigaseki Country Club.

Schauffele, whose Taiwanese mother was brought up in Japan, sits at 11-under-par after 36 holes as he heads into the weekend as bookies' favourite to take gold for Team USA.

The four-time PGA Tour winner's 63 featured two eagles, six birdies and two bogeys, with an eagle and three birdies coming in a stunning final five hole stretch.

He is one ahead of Mexico's Carlos Ortiz at 10-under, two clear of a group on eight-under that includes Masters winner and home favourite Hideki Matsuyama.

Hideki still has two holes left to complete but was six-under for his second round through 16 holes thanks to six birdies and no dropped shots.

Rory McIlroy, making his Olympics debut, made five birdies and an eagle to charge up the leaderboard and give himself, and Ireland, a great shot at a medal on Sunday.

The four-time Major winner sits at seven-under-par after 36 holes and is just four strokes back with two days of golf left to play.

Whilst he may not be patriotic as such, McIlroy appears to be loving his Olympic experience so far.

"I think when you're a competitor and athlete and your sport is in the Olympics, you feel part of something that's bigger than your sport in general," he said.

"So I think if I've learnt anything already this week it's that you feel you're part of something bigger, which is a cool thing."

McIlroy's Irish teammate Shane Lowry is also at seven-under after a 65.

Team GB's Paul Casey is another at seven-under, with Tommy Fleetwood at three-under.

First round leader Sepp Straka carded a level-par 71 to remain at eight-under.

Round two continues at 11.45pm GMT, with the final group going out in the third round at 3.18am GMT.

We take a look at some of the best golf gear from the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The Best Olympic Golf Gear

The Olympic Games is in full swing at the moment and given how many people watch the event it should come as no surprise that there are several special edition shoes and outfits on display.

Below we have looked at some of our favourites.

Seen on the feet of recently crowned Open Champion Collin Morikawa, adidas released a special 'Tokyo' version of the ZG21 golf shoe.

A model that received a five star rating in our review, the ZG21 offers incredible comfort and lightweight feel, whilst we also like the modern design. The orange accents in particular really pop out in the sun.

•  Read our full adidas ZG21 Golf Shoe Review  

Team USA will wear adidas golf gear at the Olympics and one of our favourite polos is this striped version. If the stripes aren't for you then there are three other designs but we picked this one out because of its recycled polyester construction and lightweight fit.

A handy layering top, show your support for Team USA thanks to the high-quality stitching on the chest. It comes in three colours which as you would expect are red, white and blue, and 70% of it is made from recycled polyester.

Team GB's gear is also made by adidas and during practice days we noticed caddies wearing this cool polo shirt which features a large Great Britain print and smaller details too like the Team GB logo, Japanese writing on the neck, and the 100% recycled polyester construction.

Available in a couple of colours, if you need a new cap then look no further than this Team GB design in white or blue.

As British athletes compete on the world's biggest stage, this adidas duffel helps them with the day-to-day. Its clever design means you can carry it like a bag or a backpack. A breathable compartment gives you somewhere to dump your sweaty footwear when training's over.

For more golf gear check out the Golf Monthly website

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Insights from our data partner Arccos reveal four key holes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics golf course

Four Key Holes At Olympic Golf Venue Kasumigaseki Country Club

Golf is back in the Olympics for the second time since 1904 with Kasumigaseki Country Club hosting the action.

The men's and women's tournaments take place over the East Course, which was re-designed in 2016 by Tom and Logan Fazio.

The 7,466 par 71 layout is one of the best and most difficult courses in Japan.

Having analyzed data from Arccos Caddie users over 44 rounds of the course from the regular tees, Arccos has picked out four key holes to note at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games...

5th hole

Measuring a staggering 640 yards this week for the Olympic athletes, the par-5 5th hole proves to be the most challenging among Arccos Caddie users, with golfers recording an average Strokes Gained value of -1.24 compared to a scratch player.

The Arccos Caddie function predicts the optimal strategy is to position the drive just short of the right-hand bunker and lay up to around 100 yards in order to attack the pin with confidence.

We're sure to see a lot of players putting the three-shot strategy into play this week.

Whilst amateurs find the hole difficult due to its length and bunkering, the world's best will likely view it as a golden birdie opportunity.

14th and 18th holes

Two more testing holes, as recorded by Arccos Caddie users, are the par-5 14^th and par-4 18^th, with both seeing golfers lose 1.13 strokes compared to a scratch player.

The 14th is another of Kasumigaseki's long par-5s but once again will be a great birdie opportunity.

The difficult 18^th hole will be more difficult for the athletes and it delivers an average Strokes Gained putting value of - 0.14, which may prove to be decisive in contesting for the gold medal in the final round.

4th hole

Arccos data suggests that the par-3 4th hole is the easiest hole on the course - when played at a shorter distance than what the athletes will face this week - with users recording a Strokes Gained value of only -0.44.

It usually measures 149 yards from the white tees, however it is set to be one of the toughest for the pros as it stretches all the way back to 237 yards from the backs.

Austria's Sepp Straka holds a narrow lead after a low scoring day one at Kasumigaseki Country Club

Sepp Straka Takes Early Olympic Lead For Austria

Austria's Sepp Straka leads the men's Olympic golf tournament after a weather-delayed opening round at Kasumigaseki Country Club.

The relatively unknown US-based Austrian carded an eight-under-par 63 to lead by one from Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond.

Play was halted due to lightning mid-way through the round but all 60 players managed to finish in the Tokyo heat.

Leader Sepp Straka ranks 161st in the world and has found some incredible form after coming into the Olympics off the back of three consecutive missed cuts.

The 6'3" Austrian has played 20 times already this year, with two top-10s on the PGA Tour.

Straka made eight birdies in his bogey-free outing around Kasumigaseki's East Course as golf returned to the Olympics for only the second time since 1904.

Jazz Janewattananond was also bogey-free in his 64, one clear of Belgium's Thomas Pieters in third who made four birdies and an eagle two.

Pieters, without a victory since August 2019, holed out on the 11th from 126 yards on his way to a his six-under 65

Thailand's Janewattananond is a former Asian Tour Order of Merit winner and has 10 wins in his home continent despite only being 25 years of age.

A medal for Jazz in the men's event would be huge for Thailand, which currently has a golden generation of female golfers including the Jutanugarn sisters, ANA Inspiration winner Patty Tavatanakit and LET Order of Merit leader Atthaya Thitikul.

The international leaderboard features 11 nations in the top eight and within four strokes of the lead as the tournament looks set to be a very closely-fought contest for gold, silver and bronze.

Team GB's Paul Casey is one of those inside the top eight at four-under-par, with Tommy Fleetwood three back at one-under after a double bogey at the 18th hole.

The top Americans so far are Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed at three-under, with Reed carding a fine 68 despite only arriving in Tokyo on Wednesday afternoon after replacing Bryson DeChambeau.

Home favourite Hideki Matsuyama is at two-under alongside four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy and Champion Golfer of the Year Collin Morikawa, who was favourite for gold leading into the event.

How much is a gold medal win worth?

Olympic Gold Medal Prize Money - Tokyo 2020

A gold medal at the Olympic Games is arguably the greatest prize in sport.

Luckily for golfers, they can now compete for gold, silver and bronze as the sport is back in the Olympics for the second time since 1904.

At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Justin Rose won gold for Team GB with Henrik Stenson winning silver for Sweden and Matt Kuchar taking the bronze for Team USA.

In the women's tournament, Inbee Park won gold for South Korea, Lydia Ko won Silver for New Zealand and China's Shanshan Feng won bronze.

So how much is a gold medal worth to the competitors?

There is actually no official prize money from the International Olympic Committee but some nations do pay their athletes for winning medals.

Many sports also receive funding from their countries, although most nations will fund golf through other areas like the R&A, USGA and other home unions.

Great Britain doesn't offer any funding for golf in the Olympics and reportedly doesn't pay for medals, so Rose will not have earned any prize money from his stunning Rio performance.

However, saying that, the boost in profile from the triumph may have netted him bonuses from his sponsors and may have also enticed new sponsors too.

The added profile of being Olympic champion may have also earned him appearance fees for playing in certain tournaments, as having the gold medallist play in your event is a selling point that can be used in marketing to help sell tickets and grow TV viewership numbers.

Related: Does Olympic golf really matter?

It is reported that the USA pays $37,500 to gold medals, $22,500 to silver medalists, and $15,000 for those who win bronze.

With huge multi-million dollar net worths, the likes of Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed will barely notice that cash if they were to win a medal.

For example, Morikawa won over $2m for his Open Championship victory and has accumulated over $14m on the PGA Tour alone since turning professional in 2019.

And that's not taking into account any of his sponsorship revenue from the likes of TaylorMade, adidas, Omega, Zurich, Therabody, US Bank and Grant Thornton.

So a simple way of putting it is that there is no real prize money at the Olympic Games and that's very rare in the rich world of golf.

The athletes are there competing for their countries and the greatest prize in sport - the gold medal.

Here are all the details on how you can watch the golf action on the BBC.

How To Watch Golf At The Olympics On The BBC

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics have begun – despite threats to cancel the Games at the last minute as Covid-19 cases continue to rise in Japan.

Already delayed a year, most events will take place in empty stadiums and there will be no fans in attendance at Kasumigaseki Country Club either for the men's and women's golf events.

Golf in Tokyo was already off to a bad start with world number one Jon Rahm withdrawing thanks to a positive Covid test, and big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau also had to do the same

However there are still lots of big names competing for Olympic gold with the men's event taking place between July 29th and August 1st, and the women's runs from the 4th to the 7th of August.

So how do you watch Rory McIlroy represent Ireland or Inbee Park defend her Olympic gold from Rio in 2016?

Well the BBC is the place to go because it will show 350 hours of uninterrupted live coverage of the many events at the Olympics.

Across all the events there will be live coverage on BBC One every day, starting at midnight and normally running until around 9pm.

BBC Two will then show a daily highlights show from 9-10pm.

It is difficult to find out what specific time the golf will be on but if you want to watch a sport that isn’t currently showing on BBC One you can stream various options on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

• Men's Olympic Golf Field
• Women's Olympic Golf Field

Given how much coverage is on the BBC, and if you find yourself outside of the United Kingdom, a VPN could be the way to go

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For more details on the Olympics, check out the Golf Monthly website.

We take a look at the bookmakers' favourites to win the gold medal ahead of the Olympics

Who Are The Olympics Women's Golf Favourites?

It doesn't take a genius to work out that the gold medallist in the Women's golf at the Tokyo Olympics will likely come from either the United States or South Korea, who both have four players each competing in the event.

While all four of the US players are within the top-15 ranked players in the Women's World Golf Rankings, South Korea unfathomably have all four of their players in the top-five.

Despite this, World No.1 Jessica Korda, from the United States, is currently in inspired form and will look to prise the gold medal away from Rio 2016 winner Inbee Park.

But, with such a strong field of players, choosing who to back can prove a bit of a minefield.

Do you choose the favourites and trust the bookies, or is it more worthwhile opting for an outsider to take victory?

Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, we analyse the favourites in contention to stand on the podium come the final day of action in the women’s golf.

Tokyo Olympics Women’s Golf Favourites

Nelly Korda - 7/1 with Bet365

Unsurprisingly, World No. 1 Nelly Korda is the favourite to pick up the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

She already has six LPGA Tour wins at the age of 22, and she heads into the Olympics in fine form having won her first Major in the Women's PGA Championship last month.

She also finished T3 in the ANA Inspiration earlier in the season, and has made the top-ten on eight occasions on the LPGA Tour in 2021 so far.

Korda is also no stranger to representing her nation, having done so for the United States in the 2019 Solheim Cup.

Jin Young Ko - 9/1 with Bet365

South Korea's highest ranked women's player, Ko has 19 professional wins in her career, including the 2019 ANA Inspiration and Evian Championship.

She followed up her 2018 LPGA Rookie of the Year award with the 2019 LGPA Player of the Year, and is also aiming to finish in the medal positions - with the bookies ranking her as the second favourite for gold.

She didn't play for South Korea at the 2016 Olympics, though she does have experience representing her country, which she did at The Queens in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Inbee Park - 10/1 with Bet365

Inbee Park heads to Tokyo aiming to retain the gold medal she won in 2016 in Rio, highlighting the experience she has in being victorious at the Games.

The 33-year-old has won seven Majors in her career, and just needs the Evian Championship to complete the Grand Slam, and another gold medal certainly wouldn't go amiss.

Despite only managing four LPGA Tour wins in the last five years - she has 21 in total - and 2021 being something of a mixed year for Inbee, she has still achieved six top-tens this season.

Sei Young Kim - 12/1 with Bet365

Kim finished T25 at the 2016 Olympics, though the 2020 Women's PGA Championship winner won't think about that as she heads into Tokyo.

She is South Korea's third-highest ranked player in the world, yet she sits fourth in the Women's World Golf Rankings - truly showing how strong their team is.

Currently without a win in 2021, Kim won 2020 LPGA Player of the Year to show the quality she possesses, and why she is the joint-fourth favourite for the Olympic gold medal.

Hyo-Joo Kim - 12/1 with Bet365

Kim won the Evian Championship in 2014 while still only 19-years-old, and she has 19 career wins in total to her name at the age of just 26.

She has achieved four top-tens in 2021, and has stayed within the top-ten of the Women's World Golf Rankings for the entirety of the year.

While she is ranked the lowest of the South Korean players, overlook Kim at your peril.

We take a look at the bookmakers' favourites to win the Men's gold medal ahead of the Olympics

Who Are The Olympics Men's Golf Favourites?

Men's golf at the Olympics will take place from July 29 until August 1, and the bookmakers' favourites are now revealed.

With Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau both having to withdraw from the Olympics after producing a positive Covid-19 test, the field has become slightly more open.

Dustin Johnson had already removed his name from the Olympics back in March too, meaning the gold medal is undeniably up for grabs at the Kasumigaseki Country Club.

But, choosing who to back is therefore even more of a minefield.

Do you choose the favourites and trust the bookies know the players that they are backing as favourites, or is it more worthwhile opting for an outsider to take victory?

Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, we analyse the favourites in contention to stand on the podium come the final day of action in the men's golf.

Tokyo Olympics Men's Golf Favourites

Collin Morikawa - 7/1 with Bet365

Morikawa won the most recent Major at The Open a couple of weeks ago, and is the highest ranked player at the Tokyo Olympics, following Jon Rahm's positive Covid-19 test and Dustin Johnson's early withdrawal from the competition.

The World No. 3 is still only 24-years-old, but he has impressed on the PGA Tour ever since he gained his card for the 2019 season.

The American also finished T4 at the US Open in June, after a T8 finish at the PGA Championship in May - showing he really is in fine form ahead of the Olympics.

Adding to Morikawa's chances is the fact that he won both the PGA Championship and The Open in his first attempts, with Tokyo's tournament the first appearance he'll make at the Olympics.

Xander Schauffele - 9/1 with Bet365

Schauffele's mother was raised in Japan and he has travelled there on numerous occasions, meaning he could be comfortable with the demanding layout with water hazards and encroaching trees.

While the 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year is still awaiting his first Major win, the American has finished in the top-ten on nine occasions since 2017 in Majors, and it's only a matter of time until he produces a notable victory.

The four-time PGA Tour winner is no doubt in contention for a medal place in Tokyo, but he'll hope to come out on top and capitalise on his consistency over the last couple of years.

Justin Thomas - 11/1 with Bet365

Thomas has 14 career PGA Tour wins, with four of them coming in Asia: The 2016 and 2017 CIMB Classic in Malaysia, and the 2018 and 2020 CJ Cup at Nine Bridges in South Korea.

The 2017 PGA Championship winner managed to secure victory at The Players Championship back in March, however, he hasn't made the top-ten since that win and has largely struggled to challenge in any tournaments.

Thomas' combination of winning experience and skill displays why he is ranked as one of the main favourites.

Viktor Hovland - 12/1 with Bet365

The Norwegian's most recent win only came last month, in the BMW International Open on the European Tour.

Hovland also has five top-five results on the PGA Tour this year too, and is the highest ranked European heading into the Olympics in eleventh on the Official World Golf Ranking, two places ahead of Rory McIlroy.

Hideki Matsuyama - 12/1 with Bet365

Hideki Matsuyama heads into the Olympics in his home country hoping to emulate his incredible victory at the Masters from earlier this year.

Despite not having finished in the top-20 since that win, the Japanese star should be inspired by the backing of an entire nation, albeit fans won't be in attendance at Kasumigaseki.

Rory McIlroy - 12/1 with Bet365

The Northern Irishman has managed to rediscover some of his early career form this season, picking up his first PGA Tour win in 18 months and managing to secure a T7 finish at the US Open.

While McIlroy still isn't showing his best golf, he has the ability to produce some scintillating play so cannot be overlooked heading into the Olympics.

He'll represent Ireland instead of Team GB, because the Golfing Union of Ireland encompasses both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Who will emulate Justin Rose and win a gold medal on the golf course this weekend?

Tokyo 2020 Olympics Men's Golf Betting Tips

Tokyo 2020 Olympics Men's Golf Betting Tips

Great Britain won Gold in 2016, the first time golf was reintroduced to the Olympic Games after a 112-year gap, and the chances of Paul Casey or Tommy Fleetwood emulating Justin Rose’s Rio feat in Tokyo this week are strong.

They improved considerably with the shock Covid-enforced withdrawals of Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau at the weekend.

Rose’s victory over Henrik Stenson five years ago and the fact that he carried that gold medal around with him in his travels around the world for ages made Casey extra-keen to get one of the berths on the GB team.

“Rosey’s still talking about it,” said the Casey who made it one of his priorities for 2021.

“It’s the first time since the 1999 Walker Cup I’ll be able to put on a top that says GB”.

Since then, of course, Casey has played in four Ryder Cups but that was for Europe.

So nobody is looking forward more than the Arizona-based Englishman to locking horns with the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama 35 miles north-east of Tokyo.

With Rahm grounded and Dustin Johnson declining the gig, the burden of favouritism falls on the shoulders of new Open champion Collin Morikawa, the only man to finish in front of Casey when winning his first Major at the 2020 PGA.

The Californian looks the most reliable of the powerful US quartet which is now made up by Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed, the last-named a late replacement for DeChambeau, himself a replacement for DJ.

Reed missed the cut in our Open and had gone off the boil before that while Thomas has not posted a top-ten on the PGA Tour since winning the Players in March (although eighth at the Scottish Open) and Schauffele promises much without delivering.

Playing at home even without much, if any, crowd support must be a plus for Masters hero Hideki Matsuyama, who as the first Japanese male to win a Major, is treated with god-like reverence in that golf-mad country.

He was a Covid victim after Augusta which may be partly why he’s done nothing of note since but will surely know 7466-yard par 71 East course at Kasumigaseki better than any of his rivals.

The only time the course was used for a world-class event was for the 1957 Canada Cup - it became World Cup ten years later - and the omens for Hideki are propitious as the Japanese outsiders walloped the American favourites by nine.

If not Matsuyama, the locals will be happiest to cheer home Morikawa who, although born in the States, has Chinese-Japanese parents.

For the South Korean pair Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim there’s a special incentive as any sort of medal lets them off 20 months of obligatory National Service.

They will be fighting tooth and nail as both pulled out of our Open to focus on the Olympics.

Kim, whose three PGA wins include the 2017 Players and this year’s American Express back in January, can be brilliant but is wildly inconsistent.

If on a ‘going’ week, he could be best outsider at 50/1.

Im is the opposite, ultra-consistent (he’s back in the groove after a few blips in April and May) but has just the one victory, in last year’s Honda, to show for it.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry represent Ireland with big Shane showing much of the stuff that made him Open champion two years ago, 12th spot at Royal St George’s following closely on fourth at the PGA and sixth at Memorial.

Provided he can cope with four humid, cloudy days with temperatures in the mid-30s, he looks better value than McIlroy who is a work in progress.

We may have to wait a bit longer for the real Rory to emerge.

Viktor Hovland, representing Norway, Canadian hope Corey Conners, Chilean star Joaquin Niemann and Aussies Cam Smith and Marc Leishman are others to note.

The field of 60 will play all four rounds with no cut.

The opening-day action on BBC1 tees off at midnight through to the wee small hours of Thursday.

Check out how the GM Tipster is getting on this year on our Golf Betting Tips homepage.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics Men's Golf Betting Tips - advised bets

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The Texan will make his second appearance for Team USA in the Olympic Games

Patrick Reed Gets Late Olympic Call Up After DeChambeau Withdrawal

Patrick Reed will be arriving in Tokyo on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a late call-up for the Olympics.

Captain America has been drafted in as first reserve for Team USA's men at the Games after Bryson DeChambeau tested positive for Covid-19.

"The rules official came out to me and said, hey, you need to give Andy a call, and he said it's about the Olympics," Reed explained on how he discovered that he would be heading to Tokyo.

"At that point I kind of knew already what was going on. I didn't know who or what, but I knew being first man up that I was going to have that potential of getting that call and go represent our country."

Reed played in the final round of the 3M Open, finishing T34th, and has now headed home to Texas before flying to San Francisco and then onto to Tokyo.

He'll be seeing Kasumigaseki Country Club for the first time when he tees up on Thursday.

"No [I won't have time for a practice round], but talked to my coach because he's going to be looping it for me, and my coach, my wife and my team, they kept on reminding me that, hey, you were in the Mondays when you were chasing Mondays, you were 6-6 when you were playing the golf courses blind and you're 0-2 on playing practice rounds," he said.

"These days with how good yardage books are and with how much we have to kind of figure things out on the fly as it is, I expect to go in there and play well and be able to manage the golf course and hit the golf shots.

"Anytime I can represent my country and go play for my country, I'm going to do it no matter what, no matter where it is, no matter what time zone or how I have to get there or anything.

"When they gave me the name Captain America, the fans did, it feels like an obligation and a duty of mine to go out and play for our country whenever I can and whenever I get the call.

"To be able to call myself not just an Olympian but a two-time Olympian is pretty sweet. I look forward to going over there and playing.

"I know things are going to be a little different this time than the first time we were at Rio where we were able to go and experience all the other venues and things like that, but to be able to go in and represent our country with a small group of guys and go out there and try to bring home gold is just an honor I can't pass up.

"It would mean everything. I mean, to be -- it's already awesome to be called and Olympian, but to be called a gold medalist, silver medalist or bronze medalist, it would mean a lot.

"That's something that we've only had an opportunity to do twice and to go ahead and kind of put a stamp and be able to add that to the trophy case would be amazing."

Take a look at the entire complete field for the men's golf competition at the Olympic Games.

Men's Olympic Golf Field

The field of 60 players competing at the Tokyo Olympics in the men's competition is now confirmed, which Kasumigaseki Country Club will host from July 29 - August 1.

World No. 1 Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau have both withdrawn from the Olympic field after testing positive for Covid-19 as they prepared to leave their respective countries for Tokyo.

Jorge Campillo will replace Rahm in Spain's team and join fellow countryman Adri Arnaus, who is also a replacement, after he stepped in for Rafa Cabrera Bello.

Meanwhile, Patrick Reed will compete for the United States instead of DeChambeau, alongside Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, and Xander Schauffele.

The United States is the only nation to have four players representing them, the maximum amount allowed.

Players are eligible based on their world ranking, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15 thereafter.

Rory McIlroy will join Shane Lowry in playing for Ireland, while Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood are representing Team GB in Tokyo during the Olympics.

The three medallists from Rio 2016 - Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, and Matt Kuchar - all failed to qualify.

Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick and Lee Westwood all joined Dustin Johnson and Rafa Cabrera Bello in declining their chance to play in the Olympics.

Related: The big names missing from the Olympics

Men's Olympic Golf Field

Justin Thomas (United States)

Collin Morikawa (United States)

Xander Schauffele (United States)

Patrick Reed (United States)

Rory McIlroy (Ireland)

Viktor Hovland (Norway)

Hideki Matsuyama (Japan)

Paul Casey (Great Britain)

Abraham Ancer (Mexico)

Sungjae Im (South Korea)

Cameron Smith (Australia)

Joaquin Niemann (Chile)

Tommy Fleetwood (Great Britain)

Corey Conners (Canada)

Romain Langasque (France)

Garrick Higgo (South Africa)

Shane Lowry (Ireland)

Marc Leishman (Australia)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout (South Africa)

Siwoo Kim (South Korea)

Carlos Ortiz (Mexico)

Mackenzie Hughes (Canada)

Sebastian Munoz (Colombia)

Guido Migliozzi (Italy)

Emiliano Grillo (Argentina)

Rikuya Hoshino (Japan)

Antoine Rozner (France)

Thomas Detry (Belgium)

Alex Noren (Sweden)

Thomas Pieters (Belgium)

Kalle Samooja (Finland)

Matthias Schwab (Austria)

Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark)

Sami Valimaki (Finland)

Jazz Janewattananond (Thailand)

Jhonattan Vegas (Venezuela)

Francesco Molinari (Italy)

Henrik Norlander (Sweden)

Guillermo Mito Pereira (Chile)

Adri Arnaus (Spain)

Joachim Hansen (Denmark)

Rory Sabbatini (Slovakia)

Sepp Straka (Austria)

Ryan Fox (New Zealand)

C.T. Pan (Chinese Taipei)

Jorge Campillo (Spain)

Romain Langasque (France)

Adrian Meronk (Poland)

Maximilian Kieffer (Germany)

Juvic Pagunsan (Philippines)

Ondrej Lieser (Czech Republic)

Scott Vincent (Zimbabwe)

Gunn Charoenkul (Thailand)

Hurly Long (Germany)

Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay)

Rafael Campos (Puerto Rico)

Gavin Green (Malaysia)

Carl Yuan (China)

Kristian Krogh Johannessen (Norway)

Wu Ashun (China)

Anirban Lahiri (India)

Udayan Mane (India)

For more Olympic Games content check out the Golf Monthly website.

What will the weather be like at the men's and women's golf events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games?

Olympic Golf Weather Forecast

Both the men's and women's golf events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic will be played on the East Course at Kasumigaseki Country Club. 

The site is located North West of the centre of Tokyo in Kawagoe-shi.

Related: What Is The Olympic Golf Format?

The men's event is taking place from July 29th-August 1st while the women's event it taking place from August 4th-August 7th.

Let's take a look at what the forecast is predicting for the weather and both of these Olympic events.

Olympic Golf Weather Forecast

Men's Olympic Golf - Thursday July 29th - Sunday 1st August 

Thursday

It will be a humid start to the men's event, with a few light rain showers in the morning and the threat of a thunderstorm as the day wears on.

Temperatures will be about 31°C (88°F) but will feel closer to 37°C (99°F) thanks to the humidity.

Wind will be light at 9km/h but will gust up to 33km/h if storms arrive.

Friday 

It will be a similar story on Friday, with a 77% chance of rain throughout the day and a 47% chance on thunderstorms on a cloudy, muggy day in Tokyo.

Related: Men's Olympic Golf Field 

Temperatures will peak at 29°C (84°F) and a wind of 26km/h will play a significant part in the second day's play.

Saturday

A calmer but equally cloudy day on Saturday will temperatures reach 30°C (85°F) and winds reach speeds of 11km/h.

There will still be a decent chance of rain throughout the day - 60% - but much less threat of thunderstorms,

Sunday 

The sun might actually come out on the final day of the men's competition as party cloudy skies will see temperatures reach 31°C (88°F).

There will still be a 71% chance of showers, but these are likely to be early in the morning. Winds will be at 15km/h but potentially gusting as high as 40km/h.

Women's Olympic Golf - Wednesday 4th August - Saturday 7th August 

Wednesday 

It will be a very humid start to the women's event with heavy cloud cover contributing to temperatures of 38°C (100°F).

There will be a strong chance of showers throughout the day and some of these could be thundery.

Winds will be 11km/h gusting up to 35km/h.

Related: Women's Olympic Golf Field

Thursday

Thursday will be a much brighter day will partly cloudy skies and temperatures of 31°C (88°F).

The winds will be stronger - 17km/h - but there is little chance of rain and humidity will have dropped significantly from Wednesday.

Friday

Friday will be one of the brightest days of the competition, with very little cloud cover and just a 25% chance of rain.

Temperatures will reach 29°C (84°F) and there will be a gentle wind of 6km/h.

Saturday 

Another bright day will round off the women's Olympic golf tournament with highs of 31°C (88°F) with just a 20% chance of any rain across the final day.

Wind will be at its lightest all week too - at just 2km/h - and clouds will be patchy at most.

We take a look at which golfers are representing the United States at Tokyo 2020

Who Is On The US Olympic Golf Team?

Golf returns to the Olympics for just the second time since 1904 at Tokyo 2020, with Kasumigaseki Country Club hosting the action.

The United States has maximised it's quota of four players in both the Men's and Women's teams, because all eight players are in the top-15 of the Official World Golf Ranking and Women's World Golf Rankings.

World No. 2 Dustin Johnson won't be in attendance in Tokyo though, after withdrawing himself from the Olympics back in March.

Related: The big names missing from the Olympics

So who is on the US Olympic golf team instead?

The Men's team comprises some of the biggest names in golf, with Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau all competing at the Olympics.

Meanwhile, the four players in the Women's team are Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang, Lexi Thompson and Jessica Korda.

Six of the eight players have won a Major in their career, though every player is hopeful of achieving a medal in Tokyo, at least.

Lexi Thompson is the only survivor of the US team that played in Rio at the 2016 Olympics, where she finished nineteenth.

The United States underperformed somewhat that summer, picking up just one bronze medal in golf through Matt Kuchar.

Nevertheless, the US team is a star-studded line-up with genuine, rather than hopeful, medal prospects.

To intensify their confidence, Collin Morikawa won The Open in July, while Nelly Korda picked up the Women's PGA Championship, the most recent Major on the women's circuit.

US Olympic Golf Team

Collin Morikawa

Collin Morikawa is currently excelling in golf having managed two Major wins at just 24-years-old - the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship, winning both on his debut.

The American has a further three PGA Tour wins to his name, and he began his PGA Tour career by making 22 consecutive cuts, a feat surpassed only by Tiger Woods' 25-cut streak.

Following his victory at The Open, Morikawa climbed to his highest position of third on the OWGR.

Justin Thomas

Justin Thomas is an incredibly successful player who is a 14-time PGA Tour winner - his most notable win the 2017 PGA Championship.

He currently occupies fourth in the OWGR, but earned the PGA Player of the Year in both 2017 and 2020 after his impressive seasons.

Xander Schauffele

Schauffele is largely a consistent golfer that has managed four PGA Tour victories in his career.

Despite not having won a Major yet, Schauffele's nine top-ten finishes in Majors suggests that it is only a matter of time before the 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year picks up his first.

Currently sitting fifth in the OWGR, Schauffele has been in the top-ten for the whole of 2021, and reached fourth, his highest ever position, for a brief period in the season.

Bryson DeChambeau

Renowned for his incredibly long drives, DeChambeau is also an emotional golfer who has impressed in recent years.

The American has eight PGA Tour wins to his name, including the 2020 US Open, his only Major thus far.

Closely following his three team-mates in the OWGR in sixth, like his compatriots DeChambeau has been ranked in the top-ten for the majority of the season.

Related: Men’s Olympic Golf Field

Nelly Korda

22-year-old Nelly Korda is perhaps the most promising player in the United States Olympic team, and she could still play in many more Games should she wish to in the future.

She already has six LPGA Tour wins to her name, including the 2021 Women's PGA Championship, plus a Solheim Cup appearance in 2019.

Korda also tops the Women's World Golf Rankings heading into the Olympics.

Danielle Kang

Kang is perhaps one of the more experienced members of the US Olympic team, despite only being 28-years-old.

She joined the LPGA Tour in 2012 and has five wins to her name, including the 2017 Women's PGA Championship.

Kang has also appeared in two Solheim Cups, winning the trophy in 2017 before losing in 2019.

Lexi Thompson

Thompson has been playing professional golf for over a decade now, and is still only 26-years-old, after she turned professional when just 15.

At age 12 she became the youngest golfer ever to qualify for the US Women's Open, and at 16-years-old she set a new record as the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA tournament.

She has since won 11 times overall on the LPGA Tour, including the formerly known Major the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2014.

Thompson has appeared in four Solheim Cups, winning in both 2015 and 2017 but losing in 2013 and 2019.

Jessica Korda

Six years the senior of Nelly, Jessica Korda is the World No. 1's older sister and ranked 13th in the Women's World Golf Rankings.

Korda has won six times on the LPGA Tour during her career, with her most recent win coming in January 2021 at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions.

While she is still awaiting her first Major win, Korda appeared for America at both the 2013 and 2019 Solheim Cup.

Related: Women’s Olympic Golf Field

Jamie Spence on golf’s return to the Olympics and how he celebrated Justin Rose’s historic gold medal

"I Walked In Feeling Like A Complete Plonker Thinking What Am I Doing Here?"

Golf’s return to the Olympics has been far from straightforward – there was the 112-year wait for it to happen and, when it did, we had a host of players, predominantly the men, pulling the plug citing the Zika virus as their reason for not travelling.

But golf did happen in Rio and we were rewarded with two podiums full of class and talent – Justin Rose beat off Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar to the gold medal while Inbee Park won the women’s ahead of Lydia Ko and Shanshan Feng.

Six winners from six different countries and all who took part had loved it.

Team GB’s manager was Jamie Spence who, from a field of 43, got the job – it was the first interview that he had ever had – and the former European Tour player helped to grease the wheels for Rose’s gold medal victory.

Were you always up for including golf in the Olympics?

Even among the golfing fraternity there was a lot of scepticism whether it should be included, let alone outside it.

I was always for it for a number of reasons – it was part of the first two Olympics and there is so much that it can do for our game.

If we can take it around the world the Olympics can give us that platform to grow the game –  Justin Rose has found out every time he walks on the tee that it is an incredible accolade to have.

And also obviously for the ladies’ game and junior golf, we tend to get caught up in the PGA and European Tour world and golf is so much bigger than that.

The Olympics is viewed far differently in Asia and it’s a massive opportunity to raise the game.

What do you make of the much-criticised format now that we’ve had one go at it?

I was very critical of the format beforehand as it was all the same again but actually, it’s quite hard in the timeframe of an Olympics, to come up with a format that challenges the players and is a credible competition.

Maybe we do need think outside the box, we always think 72 holes, maybe you could have mixed event over 36 holes and why can’t it be over three rounds?

Maybe golf needs to challenge its thinking a bit, I’d like to see competitors being able to wear shorts and take it to a younger audience.

We could do with being a bit radical and we can get stuck in our ways of what a golf competition should be.

How strange is it to be thrust into an Olympics?

It was amazing to be involved in Team GB but also quite intimidating to be honest as you’re dealing with the head of cycling, rowing and athletics and they’ve been so successful.

You’re in these seminars talking about marginal gains but I tried to stick to what we’re good at in golf and what our guys need to be able to compete.

We tried to treat it like a normal event so I took myself away from that a bit.

When you first go into the athletes’ village it’s definitely daunting, I walked in with my tracksuit on and feeling like a complete plonker thinking what am I doing here and the first person I bumped into was Andy Murray, then Chris Froome came down in the lift with his bike.

Mike Hay was the Team GB leader, he’s a great guy and he helped me through the whole process.

You had quite a mix of characters with Justin Rose, Danny Willett, Catriona Matthew and Charley Hull, what was that like?

You couldn’t get more polar opposites, Catriona is very organised while you would say to Charley to wear blue and white the next day and she’d come down in red and blue but she was just a young kid.

She treated me like her grandad and we got on great and she came really close to winning a medal.

How special was it to be part of something that climaxed with a gold medal?

Justin was such a fitting winner, his work ethic and the way he plays the game is incredible.

It was emotional, Mark Fulcher used to caddy for me so that was also great.

Mark was playing it down but he said afterwards that was the biggest week of his career, he was totally sold by it and Justin bought into it  from day one and, to succeed like he did against his best mate, you couldn’t have written it.

I didn’t really celebrate the win, Justin was going out for drinks that night and Charley Hull was coming in so I waited for her.

We had a drink immediately after in a private room before he got his medal and that was enough.

Should the caddy also get a medal?

I don’t know, they should definitely be treated with a bit more respect.

It’s hard to get accreditation for them, they had one so had to pass that on to the next caddy and there was an overlap so that was unnecessary.

Fooch went out every morning two hours before Justin arrived to map the greens and check the flags and to look at the course – that’s pretty dedicated, is that worth a meal? I suppose it is.

Do you know anything about this year’s venue?

I’ve played Kasumigaseki Country Club and it’s terrific, there are 36 holes on site and it’s quite a long way from Tokyo.

It’s going to be very hot but it’s a good strong course.

I’m sort of disappointed that they’ve gone to a big established country club, again maybe we could think a bit differently but maybe in the future we could make it a bit more urban but, for now, it’s a cracker.

The Women's golf event at the Olympics will follow two days after the Men's event.

When Does The Olympics Golf Start?

Golf returns to the Olympics for just the second time since 1904 at Tokyo 2020, with Kasumigaseki Country Club hosting the action.

60-player fields will make up both the Men's and Women's competitions, which will be played, as usual, across four days.

But when does golf at the Olympics actually start?

Well, the Men's competition tees off first at Kasumigaseki Country Club on Thursday 29 July at 7:30am Japan Standard Time (11:30pm BST, 6:30pm ET), which will continue until the final day of action on Sunday 1 August.

An interlude of two days will follow the conclusion of the Men's final day at the Olympics, before the Women's competition begins on Wednesday 4 August.

Just like the Men's competition, the Women will play from 7:30am Japan Standard Time from 4 August until Saturday 7 August.

The BBC in the UK will broadcast both the Men's and Women's events, as will NBC's Golf Channel in the United States.

Related: Olympic Games golf TV coverage 2021

Women's gold medal winner from Rio 2016 Inbee Park will defend her title five years on from her victory, while silver medallist Lydia Ko and bronze medallist Shanshan Feng are both competing in Tokyo too.

However, none of the medallists from the Men's competition five years ago in Rio are playing this time around, with Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar all failing to qualify.

Both World No. 1's, Jon Rahm and Nelly Korda, will be competing in Tokyo though.

The United States have filled their maximum quota of four players for both the Men's and Women's competitions, which South Korea have also managed to ascertain in their Women's team.

Football and baseball have both started their Olympic tournaments, which began on 21 July - two days before the opening ceremony at Tokyo's Olympic Stadium.

The games conclude on August 8, after more than two weeks of elite sporting athletes compete for gold medals.

How do players qualify for golf at the Olympics due to be held at Tokyo's Kasumigaseki Country Club?

Olympic Golf Qualifying Explained

Qualifying for golf at the Tokyo Olympics featured an extended three-year process, due to the years delay of the Games.

The Men's competition will tee off at Kasumigaseki Country Club from July 29-August 1, while the Women take to the same course from August 3-6.

60 players will feature in both the Men's and Women's competitions, but what is the qualifying process to play golf at the Olympic Games like?

In order to qualify for the Olympics, athletes accumulated Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR) points during the period between 1 July 2018 and 21 June 2021 for the men's OGR, and between 8 July 2018 and 28 June 2021 for the women's OGR.

The OGR is calculated by variable factors: each tournament earns a strength-of-field rating, which in turn determines how many ranking points are awarded to the top finishers.

A player's final position in each event awards them points towards their OGR, but stronger-field events offers more OGR points, as approved by the International Golf Federation (IGF).

Dividing the total number of ranking points a player has earned by the number of tournaments that they have competed in during the qualification period then determines each player's final OGR.

A maximum of 52 events calculates both the Men's and Women's OGR, with a minimum of 35 events necessary for the Women's OGR and a minimum of 40 events for the Men's.

60 players comprise both competitions, with 59 qualifying through OGR and Japan, the host country, filling the final space.

The top-15 ranked players in the Official World Golf Ranking for the men, and the Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of the qualifying period were eligible for the Olympics, irrespective of their OGR.

There is a limit of four players representing each individual country, though.

Related: The big names missing from the Olympics

The United States have filled their maximum quota of four players in both the Men's and Women's competitions, while South Korea have also managed to ascertain four players in the Women's tournament.

Beyond the top-15 players, players were eligible based on their OGR, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top-15.

The IGF published the Men's OGR on 22 June 2021 and on 29 June 2021 for the Women's OGR, the day after the end of each respective qualification period.

The IGF also published the Reallocation Reserve List, while also informing National Olympic Committee's (NOCs) of their allocated quota places.

Each NOC then had to confirm their use of allocated quota places to the IGF by 1 July, who in turn reallocated any unused quota places.

The 60-player field for the Men's and the Women's competitions are now confirmed, though the end of reallocation runs up until the day before each tournament tees off.

Take a look at the entire complete field for the women's golf competition at the Olympic Games.

Women's Olympic Golf Field

The field of 60 players competing at the Tokyo Olympics in the women’s competition is now confirmed, which Kasumigaseki Country Club will host from August 4 - 7.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda tops the Olympic rankings after her Women's PGA Championship victory, and is joined by fellow Americans Danielle Kang, Lexi Thompson, and older sister Jessica Korda in representing United States.

A maximum of four players from one nation is allowed, which both United States and South Korea will fill due to their success in the top-15 of the rankings.

South Korea's team comprises of Kin Young Ko, Inbee Park, Sei Young Kim, and Hyo-Joo Kim.

Just like the men's competition, 36 countries will participate in the women's Olympic golf field, though the other 34 have a maximum of just two representative players.

Inbee Park is looking to defend her gold medal she achieved five-years-ago in Rio, while silver medallist Lydia Ko of New Zealand, and bronze medallist Shanshan Feng of China will also be playing in the Tokyo Olympics after qualifying.

Related: The big names missing from the Olympics

Women's Olympic Golf Field

Nelly Korda (United States)

Jin Young Ko (South Korea)

Inbee Park (South Korea)

Sei Young Kim (South Korea)

Danielle Kang (United States)

Hyo-Joo Kim (South Korea)

Brooke M. Henderson (Canada)

Yuka Saso (Phillipines)

Lexi Thompson (United States)

Lydia Ko (New Zealand)

Nasa Hataoka (Japan)

Patty Tavatanakit (Thailand)

Jessica Korda (United States)

Minjee Lee (Australia)

Hannah Green (Australia)

Shanshan Feng (China)

Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand)

Sophia Popov (Germany)

Mone Inami (Japan)

Carlota Ciganda (Spain)

Melissa Reid (Great Britain)

Anna Nordqvist (Sweden)

Nanna Koerstz Madsen (Denmark)

Celine Boutier (France)

Leona Maguire (Ireland)

Xiyu Lin (China)

Gaby Lopez (Mexico)

Caroline Masson (Germany)

Emily Kristine Pedersen (Denmark)

Madelene Sagstrom (Sweden)

Matilda Castren (Finland)

Wei-Ling Hsu (Chinese Taipei)

Azahara Munoz (Spain)

Jodi Ewart Shadoff (Great Britain)

Giulia Molinaro (Italy)

Perrine Delacour (France)

Stephanie Meadow (Ireland)

Min Lee (Chinese Taipei)

Anne van Dam (Netherlands)

Alena Sharp (Canada)

Kelly Tan (Malaysia)

Albane Valenzuela (Switzerland)

Bianca Pagdanganan (Phillipines)

Aditi Ashok (India)

Maria Fassi (Mexico)

Maria Fernanda Torres (Puerto Rico)

Tiffany Chan (Hong Kong)

Sanna Nuutinen (Finland)

Klara Spilkova (Czech Republic)

Manon De Roey (Belgium)

Christine Wolf (Austria)

Pia Babnik (Slovakia)

Mariajo Uribe (Columbia)

Daniela Darquea (Ecuador)

Magdalena Simmermacher (Argentina)

Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso (Italy)

Maha Haddioui (Morocco)

Tonje Daffinrud (Norway)

Paula Reto (South Africa)

Kim Metraux (Switzerland)

For more Olympic Games content check out the Golf Monthly website.

The 2024 Olympic Games head to Paris, where a familiar golf course will host the action...

Where Is The 2024 Olympic Games?

Golf will make its third appearance since 1904 in the Olympic Games in 2024 after Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

Paris will take centre stage in 2024 and the golf course hosting the world's best players will be a familiar one to golf fans.

It will be the third time Paris has hosted the Games and first in 100 years after 1900 and 1924.

The 1900 Games was actually the first time golf ever featured in the Olympic Games, with the venue being Golf de Compiegne.

2024 Olympic Games Golf Course

Le Golf National is the venue for the action in 2024, with the French Open venue being a household name across the world.

That is after the stunning 2018 Ryder Cup, which saw Thomas Bjorn's European side defeat Jim Furyk's Team USA 17.5-11.5.

Le Golf National's Albatros Course is one of France and Europe's best championship layouts and is famous for its testing holes playing around and over water.

It has hosted the French Open in every year since 1991 barring 1999 and 2001.

The club is located to the south-west of Paris and will be 41km from the Olympic Village.

Whilst 2024 is still some time away, the French game seems to be in a very good spot right now, with some of the country's best players including Celine Boutier, Antoine Rozner, Victor Perez and Romain Langasque.

From its role as French Open and Ryder Cup venue, Le Golf National already has a wonderful legacy and that will continue after Paris 2024.

"Following the Olympic Games, Golf National will resume its role as the national high-performance training centre of the French Golf Federation and host of the annual French Open, as well as a sport complex open to the community," the International Golf Federation says.

Le Golf National will be followed by the stunning Riviera Country Club for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The six-time PGA Tour winner is representing Slovakia at Tokyo 2020. Here's why...

How Rory Sabbatini Qualified For The Olympics

Slovakia has never been known as a golfing nation but the Eastern European country will have a golf presence at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The country will be represented by Rory Sabbatini, a former World No.8 and six-time PGA Tour winner, who will tee it up at Kasumigaseki Country Club.

South African-born Sabbatini, who holds UK and US passports, changed his citizenship in 2019 in a move that was widely speculated to be Olympics related.

He has never confirmed this but has commented that his citizenship change was to help golf in the country, and he will certainly be doing that by representing Slovakia on the world stage.

Sabbatini's wife is Slovakian and his wife's cousin is the vice president of the Slovak Golf Association.

“To support her, to support our stepson, getting my Slovak citizenship is important to them as well as her getting her US citizenship,” Sabbatini said at the time.

“The added benefit was her cousin is the director of golf development in Slovakia and we thought this was an opportunity to bring more kids into the game of golf because they really haven’t had exposure on a national stage to follow golf.

“This decision was never made to play in the Olympics. This decision was made to support my wife and stepson and to open the door for golf development in Slovakia.

“I didn’t even know I would be eligible.”

The 45-year-old is eligible for the Games due to the qualification system where 60 players tee it up based on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Related: The big name golfers missing from the Olympics

Teams are allowed a maximum of four players (if there are four in the world's top 15) but most nations have just one or two in each of the men's and women's tournaments.

The world rankings are very American-heavy so many players further down the list have qualified from outside of the main golfing nations.

If Sabbatini remained a South African citizen on the golf scene he would not have qualified, with the likes of Louis Oosthuizen, Garrick Higgo, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Dylan Fittelli, Branden Grace, Erik Van Rooyen and many others ahead of him in the OWGR.

The World No.197 is one of only two Slovak golfers inside the world's top 1,000, with Petr Valasek ranked 851st.

Despite strong fields in the men's and women's competitions, a number of golf's biggest names will not be in Tokyo...

The Big Names Missing From The Olympics

Tokyo 2020 is here as golf returns to the Olympics for only the second time since 1904.

The turnout at Rio was slightly disappointing, with many of the world's best players withdrawing due to fears over the Zika virus.

We thought that this year's Games would feature the strongest field possible, which it almost is, but sadly some players have once again withdrawn.

Excuses this time range from Covid-19 fears to scheduling issues with the FedEx Cup culminating just a few weeks after the conclusion of the Olympics golf event.

So, who are the big names that will not be competing at Kasumigaseki Country Club?

The Big Names Missing From The Olympics

Dustin Johnson

The World No.2 withdrew from Tokyo 2020 last year due to wanting to prioritise the FedEx Cup and he once again withdrew from the postponed Games.

DJ would have been one of the favourites for Gold but instead will remain Stateside in his quest for a second FedEx Cup.

He is the only US player to have withdrawn from the Olympics, with both USA men's and women's sides looking very strong.

Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Lee Westwood

The three Englishmen all chose to not play for Team GB in Tokyo, meaning that Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood will be Great Britain's hopes for retaining the Gold Medal won by Justin Rose last time out.

Hatton blamed Covid-19 travel issues and the schedule, Westwood's reason for skipping was the packed schedule, whilst Fitzpatrick did not publicly state his reason.

Charley Hull and Georgia Hall

Charley Hull withdrew from Team GB due to scheduling issues and her replacement Georgia Hall also opted out, meaning five leading Team GB contenders all passed up on the chance of competing in Tokyo.

Mel Reid qualified and Jodi Ewart Shadoff took up the second spot after Hull and Hall's withdrawals.

"I've been thinking long and hard over the past few months about this year's Olympics and whether or not I'd be able to give my best performance given all the scheduling and travel challenges involved," Hull said in a statement.

"Obviously it would be a huge privilege to represent my country but I have, very reluctantly, made the tough decision not to travel this year which has been very hard given all the amazing memories I have from my experience in Rio five years ago."

"I was honoured to have the opportunity to represent Team GB in Tokyo this year," Georgia Hall said.

"However, it has been an exhausting schedule spending three months away from home and, with the current restrictions in place due to Covid-19, I feel it's the best decision for me not to go.

"I don't feel that going to Japan would allow me to prepare properly for the important few weeks ahead. I wish Team GB the best of luck in Tokyo and will be supporting them all the way."

Louis Oosthuizen

The South African said it was "humbling" to qualify for South Africa but confirmed in a statement that he will not be making the trip to Japan.

“Qualifying for the Olympics is a humbling accomplishment and there’s no greater honor than representing your country, so it has been a very difficult decision for me, my team and my family to withdraw from playing in Tokyo," he said.

South Africa's two male competitors will be Garrick Higgo and Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

Sergio Garcia

Sergio was in Rio for the return of golf last time but surrendered his spot this time alongside Jon Rahm, who will be joined by Adri Arnaus.

Garcia was keen to play but ultimately decided to skip the Games due to his desire to make the European Ryder Cup team.

Adam Scott

The Aussie has now withdrawn from both the 2016 and 2020/21 Games.

Scott was one of the earliest withdrawals back in April, revealing that the packed schedule meant he wanted to be at home with his family instead of travelling to Japan.

Australia will be represented by Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman in the men's tournament.

Martin Kaymer

The two-time Major winner and former World No.1 withdrew due the Games not offering the full 'Olympic' experience for athletes this year due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

"Everything is so difficult. There is no team spirit. It will just be like a really normal tournament this time," he said.

Germany's men will be Max Kieffer and World No.269 Hurly Long.

Francesco Molinari

The 2018 Open champion unfortunately had to withdraw from the Games due to a back injury.

The Italian announced the injury after missing the cut at Royal St George's.

He'll be replaced by Renato Paratore in the Italian side, partnering Guido Migliozzi.

Bernd Wiesberger

The Austrian will not be making his second Olympics appearance this year.

“Personally, I am very sorry that I have to officially withdraw the registration for Tokyo 2020 and that I can not represent Austria at the upcoming Olympics,” he said.

“The 2016 Olympic Games in Rio was a great experience and definitely a highlight of my career so far. For the development of golf, it is important that golf has a stage at the Olympic Games."

Big name Americans and Koreans missing out

Due to the Olympic qualifying format, nations are allowed a maximum of four golfers per gender - and that's only if there are four of the same nation inside the world's top 15.

There are more than four American men inside the top 15 and this means that the likes of Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed missed out on the US men's side along with Patrick Cantlay, Webb Simpson, Harris English and Tony Finau.

The Korean women's team is even harder to get into, as their team is currently made up of four of the world's top five - meaning that if you're not inside the world's top five, you're not qualifying!

World No.15 Min Jee Park failed to qualify, as did No.18 So Yeon Ryu.

McIlroy will play for Team Ireland at the Tokyo Olympics, but he sees the competition as a chance to represent golf rather than a specific nation

Rory McIlroy Unenthusiastic Ahead Of Tokyo Olympics: "I'm Not A Very Patriotic Guy"

Rory McIlroy will head to the Tokyo Olympics to represent Team Ireland, although he isn't doing it out of patriotism.

Speaking to reporters after The Open, where he finished T46, McIlroy explained how the Games presents a good opportunity for him to work on his golf and hopefully find some form.

"I'm looking forward to getting another week's golf in and trying to get my game in shape," McIlroy explained unenthusiastically.

"There's not much else to do there, so 12 hours a day at the golf course, hopefully I get my game in better shape.

"I'm not a very patriotic guy, I'm doing it because I think it's the right thing to do.

"I missed it last time, and for golf to be an Olympic sport you need your best players there and I feel like I want to represent the game of golf more than anything else."

Northern Irishman McIlroy will represent Team Ireland, rather than Team GB that encompasses the United Kingdom, because the Golfing Union of Ireland takes in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Joining him on Team Ireland's men's golf team is Shane Lowry, who has already signalled his ambition ahead of travelling to Japan.

McIlroy pulled out of the 2016 Olympics in Rio, which Englishman Justin Rose won, due to health concerns about the Zika virus.

McIlroy told Independent.ie in 2017 that he sent Rose a message congratulating him.

Rose responded by asking whether McIlroy felt like he had missed out by withdrawing from the competition, but the Northern Irishman relayed the reply he sent to Rose about his issue with the Olympics.

"'Justin, if I had been on the podium listening to the Irish national anthem as that flag went up, or the British national anthem as that flag went up, I would have felt uncomfortable either way.'

Rory continued: "I don't know the words to either anthem; I don't feel a connection to either flag; I don't want it to be about flags; I've tried to stay away from that.

"Olympic golf to me doesn't mean that much - I don't get excited about it."

McIlroy will also tee off at Kasumigaseki Country Club on July 29 without any fans in attendance, as a spike in Covid-19 infections means that venues in and around Tokyo are left without spectators.

Furthermore, the approximate 11,000 athletes competing at the Games are staying at the Olympic Village in a bubble, whereby they can't access public spaces in Japan's capital city.

Kasumigaseki, north-west of Tokyo, will host the world's best players on its Tom Fazio re-designed East Course

Tokyo Olympic Golf Course - Kasumigaseki Country Club

Golf makes its return to the Olympics this year in Tokyo, with the sport taking part in the Games for only the second time since 1904.

Last time out, Rio de Janeiro's Campo Olimpico de Golfe was specially built for the Games and was designed by renowned architect Gil Hanse.

This year, the host venue is a much older course that dates back to 1929.

Kasumigaseki Country Club, situated to the north-west of Tokyo, is no stranger to hosting the best players in the world.

The club has hosted four Japan Opens, a Japan Women's Open, two Japan Amateurs, three Japan Women's Amateurs, the Canada Cup (now known as the World Cup of Golf) and the Asian Amateur.

The 2010 Asian Amateur was won by Hideki Matsuyama, which helped him qualify for the 2011 Masters - where he won the Silver Cup.

Hideki is set to be the home favourite and would become even more of a hero in Japan if he could add a Gold Medal to his Green Jacket.

The club is extremely private and was initially a controversial choice for the Olympics as it did not award full membership and playing rights to female members.

However, this policy was changed in 2017 after pressure from the International Olympic Committee.

Kasumigaseki is located 45km from Tokyo city centre and 49km from the Olympic Village.

It has two courses, the West and the East, and it is the East that will host the Games.

The East was opened in 1929 and was designed by Englishman Hugh Alison, who was Harry Colt's design partner.

It was re-designed in 2016 by Tom and Logan Fazio to bring the course more up to date with the modern game.

The course previously had two greens on many holes but Fazio was tasked with turning them into single greens, resulting in large, undulating putting surfaces.

It measures 7,466 from the back tees with a par of 71.

Watch: Drone tours of Kasumigaseki Country Club's East Course

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InuBcbuiFbg&t=646s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5YX2AMG7mQ

As you can see, the East is treelines with large, undulating greens, heavy bunkering and plenty of water.

It is set to test players' ball striking and especially iron play.

The club's other course, the West Course, measures 7,117 from the back tees.

The par 73 is not the longest but its challenge comes from treelined holes and lakes and creeks on the back nine.

The course was designed by the renowned Seiichi Inoue, who designed many of Japan's greatest courses.

A state of emergency will be in place while the Olympic Games are on in Tokyo

Tokyo Olympics To Be Held Without Fans Amid Covid-19 Emergency

The 2021 Olympic Games will be held without fans in and around venues in Tokyo due to a spike in Covid-19 infections. 

Olympics Minister Tamayo Marukawa announced on Thursday that a state of emergency in the capital will be in place while the Games are on to limit the spread.

The Olympic golf competitions will be played at Kasumigaseki Country Club, with the men’s event taking place from July 29 to August 1 and the women’s from August 4-7.

A ban on foreign fans was announced back in March so this latest update is a further blow for tournament organisers.

Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto said: "It is regrettable that we are delivering the Games in a very limited format, facing the spread of coronavirus infections.

"I am sorry to those who purchased tickets and everyone in local areas."

Given the inherent nature of golf, fans in limited numbers have returned to events in the US and the UK, with 32,000 per day set to descend upon Royal St George’s for next week’s Open Championship.

As it stands though, the best players in the world will compete for Olympic Gold in silence.

Stadiums in the regions of Fukushima, Miyagi and Shizuoka will be permitted to have spectators up to 50 per cent capacity with a maximum of 10,000 people in attendance.

A new wave of infections hit Japan in April and have continued to rise since, with the majority being recorded in Tokyo. Of the 2,180 new cases reported on Wednesday, 920 were in the country’s capital city, which represents the highest daily rate since May 13. 

Japan’s vaccination rollout has been slow, meaning that just over 15 per cent of the country is fully vaccinated, and there are major concerns over the Delta variant.

Related: Lexi Thompson on a mission for Gold

There is widespread opposition to the Games with a June poll in the leading Asahi Shimbun newspaper suggesting that more than 80 per cent of the population want the event to be cancelled or postponed again.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters the state of emergency would run from July 12 and remain in place until August 22.

"Taking into consideration the effect of coronavirus variants and not to let the infections spread again to the rest of the nation, we need to strengthen our countermeasures," he said.

The Olympic Games are scheduled to take place in the Japanese capital between July 23 and August 8.

The field is set for the 2021 Olympic women's golf competition in Tokyo

Women’s Olympic Golf Qualifying Finalised - Who Is Heading To Tokyo?

Not only was there a major up for grabs at the weekend, but the best female golfers in the world also had one last chance to stake their claim for a place in this year’s Olympics. 

Based on the world rankings alone, a maximum of four from any country can play their way into the tournament, provided they are all within the top 15. In the event that there are more than four, the lowest ranked player missed out. 

Outside of that, the rest of the 60-player field is made up of a maximum of two per country, with the host nation - in this case Japan - guaranteed at least one entrant. 

Unlike the men’s tournament, the women’s field hasn’t been ravaged by withdrawals, which is great to see given how much effort went in to re-establishing golf as an Olympic sport. 

So, who has qualified for the 2021 Tokyo Games to represent their country on the biggest stage? 

At the top end of the rankings, new World No. 1 Nelly Korda, fresh off back-to-back victories on the LPGA Tour and her first major title, headlines the four-woman American team that also includes Danielle Kang (5), Lexi Thompson (9) and Nelly’s sister, Jessica (13). 

The only other country that will have four representatives is Korea, with Jin Young Ko (2), defending gold-medal winner In Bee Park (3), Sei Young Kim (4) and Hyo-Joo Kim (6) forming a formidable line-up. 

Lydia Ko (10), the silver medallist in 2016 will tee it up for New Zealand, while bronze medallist Shanshan Feng (16) has qualified as the leading Chinese player.

Elsewhere, Nasa Hataoka (11) and Mone Inami (27) will have the honour of representing the home nation, while Mel Reid (38) and Jodi Sadoff (86) will make the journey to Tokyo to compete for Team GB - the latter a stand-in as Charley Hull and Georgia Hall both opted to withdraw.

In an Instagram post, Hull, who finished two shots outside the medal positions at the 2016 Rio Games, explained her decision to pull out.

"I’ve been thinking long and hard over the past few months about this year’s Olympics and whether or not I’d be able to give my best performance given all the scheduling and travel challenges involved," she wrote.

"Obviously it would be a huge privilege to represent my country but I have, very reluctantly, made the tough decision not to travel this year which has been very hard given all the amazing memories I have from my experience in Rio five years ago.

"I’ll be following Team GB closely in Tokyo and wish them all the best of luck."

In total, 36 countries will be represented in the 72-hole event that will take place from August 4-7 at Kasumigaseki Country Club.

Women's Olympic Golf Field (provisional)

USA: Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang, Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda

Korea: Jin Young Ko, In Bee Park, Sei Young Kim, Hyo-Joo Kim

Canada: Brooke Henderson, Alena Sharp

Philippines: Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan

New Zealand: Lydia Ko

Japan: Nasa Hataoka, Mone Inami

Thailand: Patty Tavatanakit, Ariya Jutanugarn

Australia: Minjee Lee, Hannah Green

China: ShanShan Feng, Xiyu Lin

Germany: Sophia Popov, Caroline Masson

Spain: Carlota Ciganda, Azahara Munoz

Great Britain: Melissa Reid, Jodi Shadoff

Sweden: Anna Nordqvist, Madelene Sagstrom

Denmark: Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Emily Kristine Pedersen

France: Celine Boutier, Perrine Delacour

Ireland: Leona Maguire, Stephanie Meadow

Mexico: Gaby Lopez, Maria Fassi

Finland: Matilda Castren, Sanna Nuutinen

South Africa: Ashleigh Buhai

Taiwan: Wei-Ling Hsu, Min Lee

Italy: Giulia Molinaro, Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso

Netherlands: Anne van Dam

Malaysia: Kelly Tan

Switzerland: Albane Valenzuela, Morgane Metraux

India: Aditi Ashok

Puerto Rico: Maria Fernanda Torres

Hong Kong: Tiffany Chan

Norway: Marianne Skarpnord

Czech Republic: Klara Spilkova

Belgium: Manon De Roey

Austria: Christine Wolf

Slovenia: Pia Babnik

Colombia: Mariajo Uribe

Ecuador: Daniela Darquea

Argentina: Magdalena Simmermacher

Morocco: Maha Haddioui

The field is provisionally set for Tokyo, with Casey and Fleetwood set to represent Team GB

Men's Olympic Games Qualifying Finalised

The extended three-year qualification process for the men’s golf competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has been completed.

US Open champion and World No.1 Jon Rahm will headline the field for Spain after leading the qualification table - although his partner is not confirmed yet after reports that Rafa Cabrera Bello is following Sergio Garcia in withdrawing.

If Rafa does withdraw, Adri Arnaus will partner Rahm - who, by the sounds of it, will be playing...

Big names who have already withdrawn, aside from Sergio, include World No.2 Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer.

The big news is that all three medal winners last time out, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar, have all not qualified.

Rory Sabbatini's move to Slovakian citizenship has also paid off, as he is in the field of 60 for Tokyo.

Americans finished Nos. 2-5 in the qualifying, with Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau representing the US.

Related: Amazon Prime Day Golf Deals 2021

Just like in Rio in 2016, the United States is the only country in the men's tournament with more than two qualifiers for the 60-player field, which will compete at Kasumigaseki Country Club from July 29-August 1.

Team GB, which was made up of Gold Medal winner Justin Rose and reigning Masters champion Danny Willett last time out, will be represented by Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood.

This means that Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick and Lee Westwood all appear to have turned down the chance to play in the Games.

Home nation Japan will be represented by Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama and Rikuya Hoshino.

The men’s field is made up of 36 countries.

Men's Olympic Games Golf Field: (provisional)

Spain: Jon Rahm, Rafa Cabrera Bello

USA: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau

Ireland: Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry

Norway: Viktor Hovland, Kristian K Johannessen

Japan: Hideki Matsuyama, Rikuya Hoshino

GB: Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood

Mexico: Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz

South Korea: Sungjae Im, Si Woo Kim

Australia: Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman

Chile: Joaquin Niemann, Mito Pereira

Canada: Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes

France: Victor Perez, Antoine Rozner

South Africa: Garrick Higgo, Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Colombia: Seabstian Munoz

Italy: Guido Migliozzi, Francesco Molinari

Argentina: Emiliano Grillo

Belgium: Thomas Detry, Thomas Pieters

Sweden: Alex Noren, Henrik Norlander

Finland: Kalle Samooja, Sami Valimaki

Austria: Matthias Schwaab, Sepp Straka

Denmark: Rasmus Hojgaard, JB Hansen

Thailand: Jazz Janewattananond, Gunn Charoenkul

Venezuela: Jhonattan Vegas

Slovakia: Rory Sabbatini

New Zealand: Ryan Fox

Taiwan: CT Pan

Poland: Adrian Meronk

Germany: Max Kieffer, Hurly Long

Phillipines: Juvic Pagunsan

Czech Republic: Ondrej Lieser

Zimbabwe: Scott Vincent

Paraguay: Fabrizio Zanotti

Puerto Rico: Rafael Campos

Malaysia: Gavin Green

China: Carl Yuan, Ashun Wu

India: Anirban Lahiri

How to qualify for the Olympics

The top-15 world-ranked players are eligible for the Olympics, with a limit of four players from a given country.

Beyond the top-15, players are eligible based on the world rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top-15.

The host country is guaranteed a spot, as is each of the five continents of the Olympics.

Olympic Qualifying - what next?

The women’s rankings will be finalised after this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The 60-player women’s competition will also be held at Kasumigaseki CC and takes place the following week from August 4-7.

Once the women’s Olympic Golf Rankings are finalised, the International Golf Federation (IGF) will send confirmation of the men’s and women’s quota places to the National Olympic Committees.

The NOCs will then confirm use of allocated quota places to the IGF by July 1 and the IGF, in turn, will reallocate all unused quota places before the Tokyo 2020 Sport Entries Deadline on July 5.

The IGF will publish a final entries list of 60 names for both the men’s and women’s events on Tuesday, July 6, which will ratify all the competitors for the respective fields at the Olympic Games.

The Northern Irishman is "looking forward" to making his debut appearance in the Olympics this year

Rory McIlroy Confirms He Will Play 2021 Tokyo Olympics

Despite admitting it won’t be an Olympics like we’ve become accustomed to in the past due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Rory McIlroy has confirmed his intention to play in the Tokyo Games at the end of July. 

Golf was reinstated as an Olympic sport in 2016, more than a century after it had last featured, but has yet to find favour among all of the game’s top players. 

McIlroy himself skipped the 2016 edition, citing concerns over the Zika virus that broke out in Brazil, and already World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott and Lee Westwood have confirmed they won’t be teeing it up in Tokyo this year.

However, ahead of the 2021 PGA Championship, the Northern Irishman insisted he was looking forward to the event and experiencing something new in golf for the first time in years. 

“It's certainly not going to be the authentic Olympic experience that you would normally get, but it's the times that we're living in, I guess,” the man from Hollywood said. 

“Sort of no different than when you go over and play a tournament in Asia anyway. You see the golf course and the hotel and that's sort of it. 

Related: How to watch the PGA Championship

“It's not going to be that much different to what we play when we go over and play the HSBC or ZOZO or CJ Cup or whatever. 

“Yeah, it's not ideal, but it's still a good opportunity to do something that I've never done before. 

“This is my 13th PGA Championship. I've been around now for a long time, so it's sort of rare to be able to do something for the first time again. I'm sort of looking forward to that.”

Another person who will be paying close attention to the Olympics, albeit for different reasons, is European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington, who said the event is “very important from a Ryder Cup perspective."

Harrington added: "It’s a big deal being an Olympian, and especially would be a big deal if you won a medal, gold medal. That will put players under pressure and stress.

"If a player can go out and win in the Olympics, that’s the sort of player I want on the first tee of a Ryder Cup.”

While McIlroy is already a shoo-in for September's Ryder Cup, his comments will be welcomed by Harrington as they may encourage others who are perhaps on the fence to follow suit and confirm their intention to play should they qualify.

The tournament will take place at Kasumigaseki CC from July 29 to August 1, two weeks after the Open Championship and a week before the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational.

Justin Rose emerged victorious in 2016, claiming gold for Team GB, with Henrik Stenson winning silver and Matt Kuchar taking home the bronze.

The Irishman will be keeping a keen eye on how any potential players perform with an Olympic medal on the line

Padraig Harrington On Olympics: “Very Important" For Ryder Cup

European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington has insisted the Olympic Games in Tokyo will hold merit when it comes to his team selection if any potential picks can stand up to the pressure and stress of challenging for a medal.

In the lead-up to the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, the Irishman was quizzed on the factors he considers most important for himself and vice-captains, citing performance in golf’s biggest events and included the Olympics.

“Yeah, look, it [the Olympics] is very important when you're looking from a Ryder Cup perspective,” the 2008 PGA Champion said.  

“You're looking at players who play well in the majors, players who play well this week, players that play well when it's on the line. 

Related: Kiawah Island the longest course in major history

“The Olympics creates that pressure and tension. Winning an Olympic medal is a big deal, I've seen that. I've traveled the world since the last Olympics, and even as a three-time major winner, Ryder Cup captain, I could be introduced in some countries and they might say three-time major winner, I get a clap. 

“They might say Ryder Cup captain, I might get a cheer. But when you say an Olympian they can recognise that that's something they can judge a merit off of what you did in your career.”

Harrington's comments come after Lee Westwood, currently set to qualify automatically to represent Europe for an 11th time, officially ruled himself out of the Tokyo Games due to an overly congested schedule, among other things.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and Adam Scott also announced earlier in the year that they would be skipping the event that suffered similar setbacks at the Rio Games in 2016 as a result of the Zika virus.

However, as the most watched sporting event in the world, Harrington will be keeping a particularly keen eye on the Europeans who are able to perform under such intense conditions.

He added: “It's a big deal being an Olympian, and especially would be a big deal if you won a medal, gold medal. 

“That will put players under pressure and stress. From my perspective if a player can go out and win in the Olympics, that's the sort of player I want on the first tee of a Ryder Cup.”

As a former PGA Champion, Harrington has a lifetime exemption into the PGA Championship and is relishing the “really nice test” on a “beauty of a golf course” at Kiawah Island. 

The three-time major winner will get his first round underway at 6.14pm BST alongside fellow former champions Phil Mickelson and Jason Day.

Related: PGA Championship tee times

The Englishman is the latest player to take the decision to skip the Olympics

Lee Westwood Rules Himself Out Of 2021 Tokyo Olympics

Lee Westwood is the latest big-name player to opt out of this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. 

There’s no guarantee the current World No. 21 would have qualified, but speaking ahead of this week’s PGA Championship, the Englishman stated that regardless of qualification, he won’t be teeing it up at Kasumigaseki CC at the end of July.

“I have already pulled out. I've given notice that I'm not going to play in the Olympics,” the 48-year-old explained when asked if his thoughts were on the Tokyo Games.

Expanding on the reasons behind the decision, Westwood cited the already congested schedule and his age as factors.

“Many, many reasons. I have a few family commitments, and I already proved a few weeks ago that playing seven in eight weeks is not good for me,” he continued.  

Related: How To Watch The PGA Championship

“And there's already a lot of tournaments crammed in around there - Scottish Open, Open Championship. I need a couple of weeks off between there and the FedEx in Memphis. 

“Then there's only another week off and I could be playing three FedExCup events, the PGA, a week off, then the Ryder Cup. I want to be in good shape for all of those. 

“I think going to Japan the week before Memphis, just with all that going on, is a bad idea, especially when I can't say whether I'm in it at the moment anyway. 

“I'm of an age where I need to make a plan and stick to that going forward, else my game suffers.”

Westwood now joins the likes of World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and Adam Scott in announcing their withdrawal from the tournament that endured similar setbacks in 2016 as a result of the Zika virus. 

However, Westwood thinks a tweak to the competition and qualification process could make it a more appealing option for players in the future.

“I know why they brought the Olympics to golf, and I'm all for that. It's taking it to another audience, and obviously the funding from the Olympic committee feeds down through golf, which is great. 

“I just feel like maybe they didn't quite get the format right or the players that play in it right and the qualification right.”

After more than a century since its last playing, golf was reinstated as an Olympic sport in 2016 when Justin Rose won gold for Team GB.

The Games have been postponed until next year due to the ongoing worldwide Coronavirus pandemic

2020 Tokyo Olympics Postponed Due To Coronavirus

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be postponed until the summer of next year due to the Coronavirus, it has emerged.

Japan's Prime Minster Shinzo Abe asked the Games to be postponed for the first time in their 124-year history in a phonecall with IOC President Thomas Bach.

"After his telephone talks with IOC President Bach, PM Abe spoke to the press and explained that the two have agreed that the Tokyo Olympic Games would not be cancelled, and the games will be held by the summer of 2021," the PM's Office of Japan wrote on social media.

Golf was due to make its second appearance in the Games since 1904, after it returned at Rio 2016 for the first time in 112 years.

The men's competition was scheduled to take place from 30th July-2nd August and the women's event was set for 5th-8th August, both at Kasumigaseki Golf Club.

Great Britain's Justin Rose won the Gold Medal in the men's competition in Rio with Henrik Stenson winning Silver for Sweden and Matt Kuchar picking up Bronze for the USA.

In the women's event, Inbee Park won Gold for South Korea, Lydia Ko won Silver for New Zealand and Shanshan Feng won Bronze for China.

This is yet another big golf event postponed after The Masters and USPGA Championship were pushed back earlier this month.

It could mean that the Ryder Cup organisers will be more eager for the match to go ahead after an insider suggested to the Telegraph that commercial deals are much harder to come by during an Olympic year.

There was talk of the Ryder Cup being postponed too, but organisers called the reports "innacurate."

This could also be good news for the British Masters, which was due to take place the same week as the men's competition.

It also gives the USPGA an opportunity to take up that spot in the calendar, after the PGA of America said that it hoped the tournament could be played later in the summer.

The US Open could be the next big golf event postponed, and it likely will, as New York is the hardest-hit state in the USA with well over 20,000 cases of Covid-19 as things stand.

The tournament is due to take place at Winged Foot, just north of New York City, from 18th-21st June.

For all the latest golf news, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels @golfmonthlymagazine on Facebook and @golfmonthly on Twitter and Instagram

The American is giving the Olympics a miss to focus on winning the FedEx Cup

Dustin Johnson To Skip Olympic Games In Tokyo

Dustin Johnson has become the first golfer to announce that they are skipping the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The former World No.1, who also skipped the 2016 Olympics in Rio, is opting to give the Games a miss to prioritise winning the FedEx Cup.

“Dustin gave the Olympics a great deal of thought and we discussed the pros and cons of him participating at length,” DJ's manager David Winkle told Golfweek via email.

“At the end of the day, it’s a matter of personal preference and priority. As much as he would be honored to be an Olympian, the FedEx Cup Playoffs are also very important to him.

"Having had a few close calls in the Playoffs, he really wants to win them before his time is done and feels that he wouldn’t be giving himself the best opportunity to do so if he added a lengthy international trip just prior to their beginning (and shortly after returning from two weeks in Europe).”

Related: Paul Azinger criticised after 'condescending' European Tour comments

The FedEx Cup Playoffs begin two weeks after the Olympics, which takes place in Tokyo the week after the Open Championship.

The news gives a huge boost to Tiger Woods' hopes of competing at Kasumigaseki Golf Club, where the top four Americans will compete (due to the USA having more than two players in the World's top 15).

Woods has already stated his intentions to play for Team USA but has work to do to qualify as the seventh-highest American in the Official World Golf Ranking, albeit he is essentially bumped up to six in terms of Olympic qualification due to DJ's withdrawal.

It is set to be a strong field with Rory McIlroy also planning to play and represent Ireland.

Brooks Koepka's participation isn't as clear, however, after he recently said that the Majors and FedEx Cup were more important to him than the Olympics.

After DJ's withdrawal, don't be surprised if Koepka does the same.

Related: Koepka - Majors and FedEx Cup more important than Olympics

Let's hope this isn't the start of more high profile withdrawals, after the 2016 Games saw the likes of DJ, then-World No.1 Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace all pull out.

For all the latest golf news, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels @golfmonthlymagazine on Facebook and @golfmonthly on Twitter and Instagram

Woods says it is a "big goal" of his to make the USA Olympic golf team for Tokyo 2020

Tiger Woods Targets 2020 Tokyo Olympics - "A Big Goal"

Tiger Woods will make his first start in Japan since 2006 next week and he also hopes to be teeing up there next year in the Olympic Games.

The 15-time Major winner returns to action at the Zozo Championship after two months off in which he has had knee surgery.

The Zozo Championship is a new PGA Tour event held at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club featuring a field of 78, a huge $9.75m purse and no cut.

He'll also be playing in a Skins game on Monday against Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama and Jason Day.

The 43-year-old is currently just outside of the USA's Olympic qualification places and he has reiterated his desire to make the 2020 team.

Earlier this year he said, “Would I like to play in the Olympics? Yes, I’ve never played in the Olympics, and I’m sure that I won’t have many more opportunities going forward at 43 years old now to play in many Olympics.

“Yes, that would be a first for me and something that I would certainly welcome if I was part of the team.”

Related: McIlroy to represent Ireland at 2020 Olympics

In an interview with Reuters, he has once again stated his desire to compete in the event taking place at Kasumigaseki Golf Club next year, calling it "a big goal" of his.

“Making the Olympic team is a big goal,” the 15-times Major winner told Reuters.

“I don’t see myself having too many opportunities other than next year.

“Four years from now, at the next Olympic Games, I’ll be 48-years-old. To be one of the top Americans at that age is going to be tough.

“I went to my first Olympic Games when it was in Los Angeles (1984). So now to have the opportunity to be a part of the Olympics, because golf in my lifetime wasn’t a part of the Olympics, is an important aspect for us and the growth of the game.

“The game has become so global, and so reaching, that I think the Olympic Games is a great extension of that and I’d like to be a part of it.”

The field for the Olympics will be made up of 60 golfers with each nation having two players - apart from those with more than two golfers inside the world's top 15.

As it stands, the USA will once again take four players and GB will take three.

Related: Paul Casey: Olympics would be one of my career highlights

Woods is currently the sixth-highest-ranked American player so is currently just outside of the team, although there is still an awfully long time left in the qualification process.

After winning his 15th Major and fifth Masters title in April, Woods has struggled with his body for the latter part of the season.

He has only played six times since Augusta and missed the cut in two events with a withdrawal too.

Related: Tiger Woods to release new book - "My definitive story"

His best finish came at the Memorial Tournament where he was T9th.

For all the latest golf news, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels @golfmonthlymagazine on Facebook and @golfmonthly on Twitter and Instagram

The four-time Major winner has hinted that he will tee it up in Tokyo next year

McIlroy Likely To Represent Ireland At 2020 Olympics

Rory McIlroy has revealed that he will likely represent Ireland at the 2020 Olympics.

The four-time Major winner skipped the 2016 games due to the fear of the Zika virus in Rio de Janeiro, but he has hinted that he will be playing in Tokyo next year.

"I think it would be a great experience," McIlroy said of the 2020 Olympic Games ahead of this week's USPGA Championship.

"It is just one of those things where it is in the middle of a really busy stretch but right now in my mind I will most likely play."

The Belfast-native also confirmed that he would be representing Ireland next year if he does tee it up.

"As a young boy it was always my dream to play for Ireland," he said at Bethpage.

"I wanted to play for Ireland, I was very proud to put on that shirt or that blazer.

"It is the same as the rugby players, there are players that play for Ulster but they want to play for Ireland as well.

"Golf is seen as a whole island sport, just like hockey is and most other sports are."

Related: Rory McIlroy re-joins European Tour for 2019 season

McIlroy was put under intense scrutiny before the 2016 games over which nation he would represent.

He eventually chose Ireland but then skipped the games, like many others, due to Zika.

His decision to represent Ireland made sense because he played under the Golfing Union of Ireland in his amateur days (Northern and Republic share same union) and also represented Ireland at the World Cup of Golf.

However, he admitted in an interview with Irish newspaper the Sunday Independent that the decision made him feel uneasy.

"It put me in a position where I had to question who I am, where am I from," McIlroy said.

"Whether that's right or wrong, it's how I feel."

Related: USPGA Championship tee times 2019

His participation would boost the men's tournament as golf features for the second time since 1904.

Justin Rose will defend his Gold medal next year at Kasumigaseki Golf Club near Tokyo.

In Rio, Henrik Stenson bagged the Silver Medal for Sweden and Matt Kuchar picked up bronze for USA.

In the women's event, Inbee Park won Gold for South Korea, Lydia Ko took the Silver for New Zealand and Shanshan Feng won the Bronze for China.

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Three-time Walker Cup captain Nigel Edwards will lead Team GB's golf team at Tokyo 2020

Team GB 2020 Olympic Golf Team Leader Unveiled

Nigel Edwards has been unveiled as Team GB's Olympic golf team leader for the games in Toyko next year.

The British Olympic Association announced each sport's team leaders with just over 500 days until the event.

Edwards has been appointed to the voluntary role by the British Golf Association and will lead the British professionals in Tokyo, aiming to repeat the gold medal triumph of Justin Rose in Rio 2016.

He is renowned in golfing circles, as a player who reached the number two spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, as an outstanding Walker Cup team member and captain, and as a developer of talent.

“I am absolutely over the moon and very honoured to be appointed as team leader,” said Edwards.

“The Olympics offer a great opportunity to golf and Justin Rose has been a fantastic champion. I’m very much looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

Edwards joined England Golf as Performance Director in 2012, overseeing coaching and development programmes which in recent years have produced tour players and champions, including the 2018 Women’s British Open Champion, Georgia Hall.

Meanwhile, England amateurs have won three European team championships and a World championship silver medal during his tenure. The individual tally includes eight Amateur Champions – three men, one woman, two boys and two girls – plus four European championship titles.

Nick Pink, England Golf Chief Executive, said: “Congratulations to Nigel and our very best wishes for Tokyo 2020. Nigel brings tremendous knowledge, experience and leadership skills to this role and I am sure he will be a huge asset to Team GB and to the golf team.”

The Welshman, a long-time member of Whitchurch (Cardiff) Golf Club, played in four successive Walker Cup matches between 2001 and 2007. He was twice on the winning side, at Ocean Forest in the USA in 2001, and at Ganton in 2003, where he holed the winning putt, was undefeated and the leading points scorer.

He is the only person in the modern era to captain three Walker Cup teams, leading winning sides in 2011 and 2015.

Edwards also played in three victorious GB&I teams in the St Andrews Trophy match against Continental Europe and captained the team on three separate occasions. He was part of two winning European teams in the Bonallack Trophy match against Asia-Pacific.

His individual successes include winning both the South African Amateur and the European Nations Cup (formerly the Sherry Cup) in 2006.

At this week’s BOA workshops the team leaders were given the latest information on areas including accreditation, Preparation Camp, Olympic Village, security and media services that will be provided in the Games environment.

The 2022 Olympic Games golf tournaments take place at Kasumigaseki Country Club where Justin Rose and Inbee Park will be seeking to defend their Gold Medals.

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The format of golf at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will remain as individual 72-hole individual stroke play - the same as it was in Rio. By Lewis Blain

2020 Olympic Golf Format To Stay The Same

Golf's format at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo is to remain the same.

Potential Olympic golfers for these games were told by a memo that the qualification process and the setup of 72-holes of individual stroke play will be unchanged.

The men's qualification process will start on July 1st 2018 and will run to June 22nd 2020, while the women's qualification process will start and end a week later.

The top 59 players from the Olympic Golf Rankings, which are drawn from the Official World Golf Rankings, will earn a place in Tokyo.

Related: Justin Rose Hole In One Makes Olympic History

Japan will fill the final spot in the 60-player field as hosts of the tournament.

The Kasumigaseki Country Club is where the players will compete for a medal when the competition begins on July 24th 2020.

Related: Tokyo 2020 Olympic golf course votes to allow women members

The decision ends speculation that the format might have been changed to one of match play, a team format, or mixed-gender pairings.

It has caused mixed opinions in the golfing world.

Despite some of the sport's top names dropping out of the 2016 Olympics in Rio, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem is confident that golf has secured its reputation in the Olympic Games and that a similar incident will not be repeated in 2020.

Here's what he said after Rio 2016:

"Just ask the players who did go," said Finchem.

WATCH: Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe falls into bunker at Kasumigaseki GC

"It was a game-changer in their minds. It will be a big event in Japan and I think golf is in the Olympics for the long-term.

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"The IOC likes golf as it is growing around the globe, it's bringing young people to the game. It is truly a global sport.

"It is a sport that works quite well with sponsorship and they're in that business."

2016 was the first time since 1904 in which the Summer Olympics featured golf in its official programme.

Team GB's Justin Rose came out on top in the men's competition with a score of 16-under-par with Sweden's Henrik Stenson (-14) and American Matt Kuchar (-13) earning the silver and bronze medals.

While in the women's competition it was South Korean Inbee Park taking gold with a runaway 16-under-par. Australian Lydia Ko (-11) took silver and China's Shanshan Feng (-10) took bronze.

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