Ava Romero
Golf was featured in the Tokyo Olympics, marking its return to the Olympics after a 112-year absence since the 1904 Olympics. The competition was held at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe City, a venue with a 90-year-old golfing tradition. The men's competition took place from July 29 to August 1, followed by the women's competition from August 4 to 7. Both tournaments featured 72-hole stroke play, with the men competing first, then the women playing the same format at the same venue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 2020 |
| Location | Kasumigaseki Country Club, Kasahata, Saitama, Japan |
| Distance from Tokyo | 35-40 miles |
| Dates | Men's: July 29 to August 1, Women's: August 4-7 |
| Format | 72-hole strokeplay |
| Previous winners | Men's: Great Britain's Justin Rose, Women's: South Korea's In-bee Park |
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What You'll Learn
The return of golf to the Olympics
Golf made a return to the Olympics in 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, after a 112-year absence from the Games. It was back again in Tokyo in 2021, with separate men's and women's competitions taking place.
The men's competition took place from July 29 to August 1, with the women's competition following from August 4 to 7. Both tournaments were 72-hole stroke play events, hosted at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kasahata, Saitama. This venue is around 35-40 miles northwest of Tokyo and has been an established golf club for 90 years.
Golf is a popular sport in Japan, and the country has a strong golfing tradition. This meant that, unlike in Rio, there was already a top-notch course in place for the Tokyo Olympics. The Kasumigaseki Country Club is one of Japan's most exclusive clubs, and it has hosted many senior Japanese players, including Hiromi Kobayashi, Tsuneyuki Nakajima, and Masahiro Kuramoto.
The gold medal in the men's competition was won by Xander Schauffele, representing the United States of America. The women's competition was won by Nelly Korda, also representing the United States.
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Format of the golf competition
Golf featured in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, marking the sport's second consecutive appearance in the Games after a hiatus of over a century. The competition included individual events for both men and women, with 60 players qualifying for each event.
The format for both the men's and women's golf competitions was the same: 72 holes of stroke play over four days. The men's event was held from July 29 to August 1, with the women's event following from August 4 to 7. The venue for both competitions was the East Course at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kasahata, Saitama, Japan, located about 35 miles northwest of downtown Tokyo.
The qualification system for the Tokyo Olympics golf competition was based on world rankings. For the men's event, the rankings as of June 21, 2021, were considered, while for the women's event, the rankings as of June 28, 2021, were used. The top 15 players of each gender qualified, and no more than four golfers from the same country could qualify through this method.
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Location of the golf course
The Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan, located 45km from the Tokyo city centre and 49km from the Olympic Village, hosted the golf events of the Tokyo Olympics. The club is extremely private and was initially a controversial choice for the Olympics as it did not award full membership and playing rights to female members. However, this policy was changed in 2017 after pressure from the International Olympic Committee.
The East Course at the club was designed in 1929 by Kinya Fujita and Shirou Akaboshi and was later redesigned by the Golden Age master Charles Hugh Alison. The course was put to military use during World War II and reopened in 1946. In 2013, three years after Tokyo was chosen to host the Summer Games, the course was redesigned once more by Tom Fazio. Fazio's renovation aimed to modernise the course. He removed the two-green system, added yardage, and took out several trees.
The Kasumigaseki Country Club has a prestigious championship history, hosting events like the Japanese Open, the Japanese Women's Amateur, and the 1957 Canada Cup, which was one of the biggest international golf events of its era. The club has also hosted the 2010 Asian Amateur Championship, which was won by Hideki Matsuyama, who later won the Silver Cup at the 2011 Masters.
The nearest railway station to the Kasumigaseki Country Club is Kasahata Station on the Kawagoe Line.
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Player eligibility and selection
Golf was one of the competitions at the Tokyo Olympic Games, which commenced on July 23, 2021, after a year's delay. Both the men's and women's competitions were 72-hole stroke-play tournaments held at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kasahata, Saitama, Japan, about 31 to 35 miles northwest of downtown Tokyo.
The Olympic Golf Rankings, which mirror the Official World Golf Ranking for men and the Rolex Rankings for women, were used to determine player eligibility and selection. The top 15 players in these rankings were eligible for the Olympics, with a maximum of four golfers per country. This meant that after the top 15, the field was filled by going down the Olympic Golf Ranking until there were 60 qualified players, with no country allowed to have more than two golfers outside the top 15.
The host country, Japan, was guaranteed at least two golfers in the field. If a player was eligible but chose not to participate, the next eligible golfer from their country could take their place.
The qualification period for the OWGR began on July 1, 2018 and ended on June 21, 2021, for men, and June 28, 2021, for women. All points earned at events during this period comprised the world ranking used to determine eligibility.
For United States players, the world rankings were not a determining factor, and players like Tiger Woods had to rely on other means of qualification.
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Medal tiebreakers
Golf made its second consecutive Olympic appearance in Tokyo after a hiatus of over a century. The men's and women's competitions were played in a similar format at the Kasumigaseki Country Club.
In the event of a playoff scenario for any or all of the medals, the IGF Rules Committee follows a specific sequence:
One playoff:
Holes 18, 10, and 11 are played, and this loop is repeated as many times as needed. If medals are determined, play continues to decide any remaining medals.
Two playoffs (to determine Gold/Silver and Bronze/4th place):
The gold/silver playoff uses holes 18, 10, and 11, and this sequence is repeated until a winner is decided. The bronze playoff uses holes 11, 18, and 10, and this loop is also repeated as required.
If a tie remains after the first three playoff holes (16, 17, 18), the tied players will continue playing those holes in order until all medal winners are determined. This was seen in the men's golf event at the Tokyo Olympics, where seven golfers competed for the bronze medal.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, golf was played at the Tokyo Olympics.
The men's competition took place from July 29 to August 1, and the women's competition took place from August 4 to 7.
The competitions took place at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kasahata, Saitama, about 35-40 miles northwest of Tokyo.
