Jon Rahm calls for changes in Olympics golf qualification, wants countries to choose their players
After winning the recently concluded LIV Golf UK, Jon Rahm is set to compete at the upcoming 2024 Olympics. Rahm is one of seven LIV Golfers who qualified for the Games in Paris. While the golf competition at the Olympics will begin on 1 August, Rahm has urged for a change in the qualification process.
During an interview, the 29-year-old opined that countries must be given the freedom to pick their players for the Olympics. Explaining the reasoning behind his thoughts, the Spanish golfer said:
"I think you can always do it, like with other sports, and allow the countries to pick themselves. There needs to be some guidelines, but like Team USA Basketball has freedom to choose whoever they want. I understand it's a different circumstance, but I think you need to let each country choose who they want to play, and in the future, I would also like to see some team aspect in the Olympics, as well, right."
He further added:
"I mean, we are here representing Spain. So I would love to actually, as a partner or somehow, whether as a combined sport or us playing together, to be able to represent Spain. That would be extremely nice to share the stage with another player, to do something different, to maybe what we do every other day, right."
Currently, qualification for the Olympics is based on the Official World Golf Ranking points, which aren't awarded to golfers who compete in LIV Golf. Hence, golfers from the Saudi-backed tour have to depend on performances in Major championships and Asian Tours to earn OWGR ranking points.
What are the odds of Jon Rahm winning at the 2024 Olympics?
When Jon Rahm was World No. 1 during the Tokyo Olympics, he had to withdraw from the tournament due to a positive test for COVID-19. While that was a major setback for Rahm, he will now have the chance to prove himself and potentially win a gold medal for Spain.
Ahead of the men's golf individual stroke play competition that will begin on 1 August, Rahm is the fourth favorite with odds of +900 in his favor. Here is a detailed list of the top odds at the 2024 Olympics as per FanDuel Sportsbook:
- Scottie Scheffler (USA) +340
- Xander Schauffele (USA) +600
- Rory McIlroy (IRL) +700
- Jon Rahm (ESP) +900
- Collin Morikawa (USA) +1200
- Ludvig Aberg (SWE) +1200
- Shane Lowry (IRL) +1600
- Tommy Fleetwood (GBR) +2000
- Viktor Hovland (NOR) +2200
- Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) +2200
- Tom Kim (KOR) +2600
- Joaquin Niemann (CHI) +2900
- Corey Conners (CAN) +2900
- Wyndham Clark (USA) +3400
- Alex Noren (SWE) +3500
- Matt Fitzpatrick (GBR) +3900
- Min Woo Lee (AUS) +4000
- Sepp Straka (AUT) +4200
- Thomas Detry (BEL) +4700
- Carlos Ortiz (MEX) +4700
- Adrian Meronk (POL) +5000
- Jason Day (AUS) +5500
- Nicolai Hojgaard (DEN) +6500
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA) +6500
- Matthieu Pavon (FRA) +6500
- Byeong Hun An (KOR) +6500
- Abraham Ancer (MEX) +6500
- Guido Migliozzi (ITA) +8000
- C.T. Pan (TPE) +8000
- Ryan Fox (NZL) +8000
- Matteo Manassero (ITA) +8500
- Victor Perez (FRA) +8500
- Keita Nakajima (JPN) +10000
- Stephan Jaeger (GER) +10000
- David Puig (ESP) +10000
- Sami Valimaki (FIN) +10000
- Mito Pereira (CHI) +10000
- Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN) +10000
- Emiliano Grillo (ARG) +11000
- Erik Van Rooyen (RSA) +12000