U.S. Open Is Also a Huge Tournament for Upcoming Olympic Hopefuls

In addition to being the third major of the year, the U.S. Open is also a milestone event for those trying to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. 

The 60-man field for the Olympic tournament will be set after this week’s tournament in Pinehurst, North Carolina. 

📋: Olympic Golf Ranking Update

Final stretch for the men…#TeamUSA🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/VbGvwa5Th4

— USA GOLF (@USAGolf) June 12, 2024

Qualification follows the Official World Golf Ranking. Countries can have up to four golfers if they are all in the top 15 of the OWGR. If a golfer is not in the top 15, that country can have up to two representatives.

Right now, the U.S. team would consist of Scottie Scheffler, Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, and Collin Morikawa. Scheffler and Schauffele have clinched their spots, but Clark and Morikawa have work to do this week. The next two in line are Patrick Cantlay and Max Homa. 

Cantlay posted a -5 in the first round to lead as of Thursday afternoon, so he will be making a push to join the field in Paris.

THISCLOSE to the lowest round in U.S. Open history at Pinehurst. 😮

Still, a sizzling 65 for @patrick_cantlay. pic.twitter.com/hptat2zbVu

— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 13, 2024

You can see the standings going into the U.S. Open here. 

This will be the third time golf will be in the Olympics. The inaugural tournament in 2016 was won by Justin Rose, and Xander Schauffele took home the gold in Tokyo in 2021.

Cover Image via Golfweek