Power Rankings: Olympics

The phrase, “Go for the gold!,” can be cliché and trite and sensational, but it’s literally the goal this week at the men's Olympic Golf competition.

Sixty players representing 32 countries are gathered at Le Golf National in France for the Games. What they can expect, additional objectives and more are detailed below those projected to contend for a medal.

If the Gallic rooster, which is the national symbol of France, could carry the distance, it’d be a 12-mile flight southwest of the Eiffel Tower in Paris to Le Golf National. It’s a par 71 with three par 5s and it’s prepared to max out at just 7,174 yards.

Le Golf National is almost 35 years old. It debuted as the host of what now is the FedEx Open de France in 1991 and has served as its stage for all but two editions since. It tips at 7,247 yards for the DP World Tour event, but Nos. 9, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 16 all are shorter for the Games.

When the 2018 Ryder Cup was contested on the course, which was renovated for that biennial competition, the host Europeans set it up to reward accuracy and soften the impact of the long ball for which Americans are renowned. It worked. Europe prevailed, 17.5 to 10.5. The Euros also get the last laugh as all five in this week’s quadrennial tournament who competed in the Ryder Cup are from the host continent – Rory McIlroy (Ireland), Jon Rahm (Spain), Tommy Fleetwood (Great Britain), Alex Noren (Sweden) and Thorbjørn Olesen (Denmark).

The men's Olympic golf is a standard, 72-hole stroke-play format scheduled for Thursday through Sunday. There is no cut. Only one gold, silver and bronze medal will be awarded, so playoffs will be activated to determine who gets what. In Japan in 2021, C.T. Pan emerged from a seven-man playoff for bronze. Pan is back this year as one of four in the field making his third appearance in the Games. Ryan Fox (New Zealand), Gavin Green (Malaysia) and Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay) are the others.

Aside from the threat for rain late on Thursday, the weather should cooperate. Clouds will be omnipresent throughout and daytime highs will bob around 80 degrees. Wind is not forecast to be a factor.

In addition to the career-defining achievement of winning the gold medal, the champion will earn exemptions into all four majors and THE PLAYERS Championship in 2025. If he’s a PGA TOUR member, he’ll also be eligible for The Sentry. For everyone in the field at Le Golf National, including for those who don’t medal, Official World Golf Ranking points will be distributed.

ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

MONDAY: Power Rankings
TUESDAY: Sleepers
WEDNESDAY: Golfbet Insider
FRIDAY: Medical Extensions; Reshuffle
SUNDAY: Points and Payouts (Olympics version); Qualifiers

* - Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.