Golf

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry qualify to represent Ireland in the Olympics

Irish golfers qualify as highest-ranked players after cut-off point, while Bryson DeChambeau just misses out for US team

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Shane Lowry of Ireland at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Photograph: Chris Graythen/Getty
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Shane Lowry of Ireland at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Photograph: Chris Graythen/Getty
David Gorman
Tue Jun 18 2024 - 14:56

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry will represent Ireland in the Olympic Games in Paris, after the cut-off point for qualifying passed.

The two Irish golfers were the highest ranked from the country, with the stipulation that the top 15 players on the Official World Golf Rankings are eligible for the Games, up to a maximum of four golfers from a single country.

After the top 15, the Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR) consist of up to the top two eligible players per country, as long as that country does not already have at least two players in the top 15. McIlroy is ranked second in the world rankings, while Lowry is 33rd, comfortably ahead of Séamus Power in 122nd. The Olympics is an individual event and the men’s tournament will take place from August 1st to 4th. McIlroy finished fourth in Tokyo and will be one of the favourites to win a medal in Paris.

The US team will be represented by recent Major winners Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, as well as Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa. US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau misses out as his ranking is 10th compared to Morikawa’s seventh, with no points accrued on the LIV Golf tour proving costly for his chances.

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Britain will be represented by Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, while other high-ranked teams include Australia’s Jason Day and Min Woo Lee, South Korea’s Tom Kim and Byeung Hun-An and Canada’s Corey Conners and Nick Taylor.

David Gorman

David Gorman

David Gorman is a sports journalist with The Irish Times