The golf competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics kicked off on August 8st.
Hideki Matsuyama, who missed out on a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, made a spectacular comeback by winning a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
What kind of stories will emerge in the women's golf tournament which is about to begin?

So, will the predictions made by sports journalist and author of numerous golf books come true?

Olympic gold medal more likely than major championship

The Paris Olympics have finally begun. Golf fans must be interested in whether Japanese athletes will be able to win at the Paris Olympics. Golf was revived at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 for the first time in 112 years, and this will be the third time golf has been featured at the Olympics. At the last Tokyo Olympics, Hideki Matsuyama advanced to a playoff for the bronze medal in the men's competition, but unfortunately lost and missed out on the medal. Meanwhile, Mone Inami won the silver medal in the women's competition. She excited the Olympic-centric Japanese sports world and became a celebrity overnight. Now, I would like to make a prediction as to whether Japanese athletes will be able to win a medal at the Paris Olympics.

First of all, the athletes who will participate in the Paris Olympics are selected from the top of the Olympic rankings, which are based on the world rankings. However, even if they are top athletes, there is a limit of four athletes from each country, so there are cases where they cannot participate. Also, some men's athletes value major tournaments and decline to participate in the Olympics. Therefore, it can be said that the athletes who participate have a higher chance of winning, i.e. winning a gold medal, than in major tournaments.

Matsuyama Hideki, Japan's proud Masters champion, also favors major tournaments, and before the summer he said he was not considering competing in the Olympics. However, on July 7th, when the Japan Golf Association officially announced the representative players, Matsuyama's name was on the list. This is good news for golf fans. Also making the Olympic team for men is Nakajima Keita. For women, Sasao Yuka, who won the U.S. Women's Open in June and recorded her second victory in this tournament, and Yamashita Miyu, who placed second in the U.S. Women's Professional Golf Championship and secured a place on the Olympic team. Two men and two women will be competing for a medal, but golf is a sport in which the golf course on which it is played has a major impact on the outcome of the game.

The Olympic venue will be Le Golf National, one of Europe's most famous and strategically-charged courses.

The stage for the golf tournament at the Paris Olympics was Le Golf National, located near the Palace of Versailles. The fairways are undulating despite the vast, flat terrain. The course is a beautiful version of a famous Scottish links course, reminiscent of a French painting. It is said to be one of the best courses in Europe, with ample distances and a wealth of strategy. There are several small hills, making it a stadium course that is easy for spectators to watch. The course was designed to host the highest level of tournaments, and every year it hosts the French Open, Europe's oldest open tournament. It was also the stage for the 2018 Ryder Cup between the United States and Europe. The outcome of the tournament will depend on how well the players play the final four holes, which skillfully involve the pond.

The men's gold medal battle will be between world number one Scottie Scheffler and number two Rory McIlroy

Who will win a medal on this stage? My favorite man is none other than Ireland's Rory McIlroy. He is ranked second in both the world and Olympic rankings. In the previous Tokyo tournament, he lost in the bronze medal deciding match and said, "I've never used so much energy to come in third." I think this man, who loves his country, will get his revenge by winning the gold medal this time.
Of course, most golf commentators will favor Scottie Scheffler of the United States, who is number one in the world and Olympic rankings and won this year's Masters. Also, many people will put fellow American Xander Schauffele at the top of their list of winners, as he won the British Open just before the Olympics. However, since the Olympic Games are held in Europe, in France, it is clear that the cheers will be louder for McIlroy, the most popular player in Europe, than for any of the Americans.

The unexpected strength of European teams in France's hosting location

Next up is the silver medal. I would like to recommend Mathieu Pabon. He is ranked 12th in the Olympic rankings, but he is a French player. This year, he switched from the European Tour to the world's number one PGA Tour, and immediately achieved his first victory. Moreover, he put up a great fight in the US Open in June, finishing in 6th place, putting him in sight of the championship. He was born in Toulouse, southern France, where hot-blooded people can be found. A large cheering squad will surely be coming from the south of France. The Olympics is different from other competitions, as it is a battle for the honor of the country. I'm sure we will see the bearded handsome Pabon with the tricolor flag draped over his back as he competes for the gold medal.

My favorite for the bronze medal is Spain's Jon Rahm. A muscular brawler, his nickname is "Rambo." Even as a matador, he's a strong man who would likely take down a bull or two with ease. He's also a major player who has won the U.S. Open and the Masters. The bigger the stage, the stronger he is. Taking advantage of his home ground in Europe, he might even be able to win the gold medal.
Speaking of European home ground, Sweden's Ludwig Aberg, ranked 10th in the Olympic rankings, and Norway's Viktor Obran, ranked XNUMXth, as well as Britain's Tommy Freedwood and Matthew Fitzpatrick, both of whom are ranked in the top XNUMX in the Olympic rankings. The more patriotic a person is, the more likely they are to win an Olympic medal.

Putting is the key to Hideki Matsuyama's medal recapture

Now, let's talk about Japanese players. Hideki Matsuyama is ranked 9th in the Olympic rankings. He has the ability to aim for a medal, but he was ranked 66th in the British Open just before the Olympics. That said, his shots are not bad. His irons are as sharp as ever. If he makes a slightly off putt, there is a good chance he will win a medal. He himself said, "I had some good things, so I want to carry them on to the next one." He narrowly missed out on the bronze medal at the last Tokyo Olympics, so I hope he will take revenge with his tenacity, which is his specialty. Keita Nakajima is ranked 31st in the Olympic rankings, but he is 24 years old and is in the midst of his growth. This year he won his first European Tour title, and he has not been eliminated in the Olympic golf qualifying rounds. I hope he will be aggressive and give us a taste of his own medicine.

How far can Nelly Korda, the world and Olympic number one, regain her form after a slowdown?

Let's make some predictions about the women's medals. The gold medal looks certain to go to Nelly Korda, the world and Olympic number one from the United States. This year she has achieved the remarkable feat of winning five consecutive tournaments in five tournaments. Her long shots, which she unleashes from her 1cm height, are appealing. She is a beautiful and stylish 5-year-old star player who has also been making waves with her bikini-clad appearances on vacation. However, she was eliminated in the qualifying rounds at the U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Women's Professional, which began in June. Her form seems to be declining. Another American contender is Lilia Vu, who is world and Olympic number two. This year she withdrew from the U.S. Women's Professional due to back pain, but placed second at the U.S. Women's Professional after her return. She was also the winner of last year's Women's British Open, so she has plenty of ability.

I would like to recommend France's Celine Buttier as a silver medal candidate. She is a tanned beauty and is ranked 6th in the world. Last year, she won one of the major tournaments, Amundi Evian. She is also good friends with Japan's Yuka Saso, and together they tied the tournament record.
There are probably many golf fans who have become her fans. Just like Babon, she will no doubt do her best with the support of the local French fans.

How will they conquer the difficult course? Yuka Saso and Miyu Yamashita are in a position to aim for a medal.

As for the bronze medal contenders, I would like to nominate two Japanese players. Japanese women now have the world's top class skills. Yuka Saso, ranked 2th in the Olympic rankings, is a talented player who can aim for not only a bronze medal, but also a gold medal. Her impressive victory at the U.S. Women's Open in June is still fresh in our memory. She is young at 10 years old, and once she gets going, she has unstoppable explosive power. She has excellent accuracy with both long and short shots, and a genius instinct for approaches and putting. I'm sure she will post a good score at Le Golf National, one of the most difficult courses involving ponds. I would love to see her raise the Japanese flag on the center pole.

6-year-old Yamashita Miyu came in second at the U.S. Women's Open in June, earning a ticket to the Paris Olympics in a major comeback. If she shows the guts to not fear the world, she will definitely be in the running to compete for a medal. Yamashita has won Japan's prize money title for two consecutive years. She has won 2 times in Japan so far, and although she has not won a domestic tournament this year, she has come in second five times, almost always in the top 22, and has never been eliminated from the qualifying rounds. In two tournaments in July, she set a Guinness World Record by not finishing 2 holes in a row with a bogey. She will continue to play in the Olympics with her current good form, so a gold medal is not just a dream. Even her name is "Miyu", which means "I have beautiful dreams".

Incidentally, the men's golf tournament at the Paris Olympics will be held from August 8st to 1th, and the women's tournament from August 4th to 8th. Even if you're not a golf fan, you can still cheer on the Japanese athletes in hopes of winning a medal.

Honjou Tsuyoshi
Tsuyoshi Honjo

Born in 1956. Sports writer. Visiting professor at Musashino Junior College. Public relations committee member for the Kanto Golf Association. Former editor-in-chief of "Golf in the Study." Author of many books. Recent works include "The Essence of Golf" (Nikkei BP), "Masters" and "Golf White-Hot Class" (Chikuma Shinsho).