2020 Olympic Golf Format To Stay The Same

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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