Rio 2016

Golf last was part of the Olympic Programme at the 1904 Games in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, when the United States and Canada were the only two competing countries. More than a century later, golf again will be played at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The proposed Olympic competition for both men and women is a 72-hole individual stroke play tournament, with the lowest score earning the gold medal. In case of a tie for either first, second or third place, a three-hole playoff will determine the medal winner(s).

“Ty Votaw, who was the Executive Vice President of Communications and International Affairs and Vice President of the International Golf Federation, along with Peter Dawson, who was the president of the IGF and chief executive of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, were at the forefront of making golf once again an Olympic sport.” A new golf course will be built at Reserva de Marapendi in the Barra da Tijuca zone. Hanse Golf Course Design was chosen from eight tenders to build the course. After the games, the course will become a public facility and will be used to enhance golf's profile within Brazil and, according to the organising committee, this would represent "one of the most important Olympic Games legacies for sport development in the country.

Qualification will be based on world ranking as of 11 July 2016, with a total of 60 players qualifying in each of the men's and women's events. The top 15 players of each gender will qualify, with a limit of four golfers per country that can qualify this way.