The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are nearly here, and some of the top golfers among both men and women will be vying for a medal in the city of lights. Though some golf fans might regard the Olympics as a lesser tournament, this year’s field is packed with big names, and it’d be a mistake not to pay attention.
So, from a betting point of view, let’s take a look at this year’s Olympic golf landscape. Who will walk away with the gold? Who’s most likely to put in a surprise performance? Are there any Canadians with a shot at the podium? Let’s take a closer look.
Olympic Golf Format
At this year’s Olympics, the golf event will see four, 18-hole rounds played. The Olympics will use an individual stroke play format, which is very similar to the players’ respective tours. Players will be ranked based on their score relative to par, and the winner will have the fewest number of strokes over the 72 total holes of play.
About the Course
The three rounds will be held at the Albatros course at Le Golf National. It is one of the most prestigious golf courses in all of Europe, designed in 1991 to be the home of the French Open and act as a training centre.
There are a pair of 18-hole courses at Le Golf National, with Albatros being the most difficult. A par-72, the course itself is more than 7,000 yards and has been used for a wide range of international competitions.
Perhaps the most notable tournament to have used the Albatros course prior to these games was the 2018 Ryder Cup, in which a European team captained by Thomas Bjørn beat out a Jim Furyk-led Team USA.
Canadians in the Field
Both the men’s and women’s teams will be made up of a pair of Canadians, all four of whom are comfortably among the best golfers that Canada has to offer. It’s a similar story on both the men’s and women’s teams, with each having one player who will be hoping to finish near the top of the field, and one player who will likely be shooting for a more modest finish.
Team Canada Men:
Corey Conners (+2500, NorthStar Bets): Conners might not be directly among the handful of outright favourites, but he isn’t far behind. He has been very solid lately, finishing T27 or better in every event going back to April’s Zurich Classic. It would be a tall order for Conners to pull off a win, but he could be a threat, so look out for him if he starts the tournament well.
Nick Taylor (+15000, bet365): Taylor has been inconsistent this season, but he is capable of great tournaments. His struggles to make the cut recently (four missed cuts in seven events) will raise some concerns, but he could put in a solid tournament and should be able to place somewhere in the middle of the pack.
Team Canada Women:
Brooke Henderson (+1600, NorthStar Bets): Henderson, ranked 14th in the Rolex women’s world golf rankings, is very much on the shortlist of contenders on the women’s side. Henderson competed in both the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo games, the latter of which she tied for 29th. She’s only improved since then, however, and we’d say that Henderson has a real shot at gold here, despite the tough competition at the top.
Alena Sharp (+30000, bet365): Sharp is going to be a dark horse in every sense of the word. She also appeared in the Tokyo Games, finishing 49th in the tournament. She has had an up-and-down season, ranking 292nd in the women’s world golf rankings, and will need to get off to a seriously hot start in order to compete.
Brooke Henderson to win gold medal in women’s golf
+1600
Odds for the Men’s Field
Who are some of the overall favourites to capture gold in Paris? Here are 15 of the top golfers heading into the games in Paris:
| Golfer | Odds (Sportsbook) |
| Scottie Scheffler (USA) | +400 (bet365) |
| Xander Schauffele (USA) | +600 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Rory McIlroy (Ireland) | +700 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Jon Rahm (Spain) | +1200 (bet365) |
| Collin Morikawa (USA) | +1200 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Ludvig Aberg (Sweden) | +1600 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Viktor Hovland (Norway) | +1800 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Tommy Fleetwood (Great Britain) | +1800 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Shane Lowry (Ireland) | +2200 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Matt Fitzpatrick (Great Britain) | +2200 (bet365) |
| Joaquin Niemann (Chile) | +2500 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Tom Kim (Korea) | +2500 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Corey Conners (Canada) | +2500 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) | +2800 (bet365) |
Three men to back
Planning on throwing a few bucks down on the golf at the Paris Games? The field can look too close to call, but below you’ll find a shortlist of three men’s players that we think you should consider backing for that coveted gold medal.
Scottie Scheffler (USA, +400, bet365):
How can you go against Scheffler at this point? He’s the favourite by a mile, and that’s because, well, he’s the best golfer in the world. No matter the size of the tournament, Scheffler is always the most dangerous man on the course, and this year’s Masters champion will be looking to add another feather to his already feather-laden cap, in the form of a gold medal for USA.
It’s Scheffler’s consistency that makes him such a solid pick. He has won in virtually every situation and setting, setting aside the unfortunate incident that saw his mugshot go viral online. In other words, it’s Scheffler’s tournament to lose. Sure, it might not be the sexiest pick, but don’t tell us we didn’t warn you if you chase after bigger odds only for Scottie to win.
Ludvig Aberg (Sweden, +1600, NorthStar Bets):
Aberg has been a star on the rise this season and could be one of the few Europeans with a real shot at challenging Scheffler. He is also one of the younger players in the tournament field at a mere 24 years old, which may have been considered a detriment in years past, but is now reflective of a wider shift in today’s golf.
Aberg has been playing very well lately, finishing T5 at the Memorial Tournament and T4 at the Scottish Open. His second-place finish at The Masters shows that he can play on the biggest stages with the biggest names. Playing in Europe in Swedish colours, this feels like an opportunity for Aberg to seize the moment and earn a well-deserved win. At +1,600, this is a great value pick.
Xander Schauffele (USA +600 NorthStar Bets):
Xander Schauffele is an interesting pick. He’s the defending gold medalist from the Tokyo Games, which could be vital when most players are outside their comfort zone. And, he couldn’t be hotter right now after claiming a pair of golf majors this season, most recently the British Open last weekend.
When he is on top form, there are few in the world on his level. If anyone is going to threaten Scheffler and disrupt his reign of dominance this season, why not the guy who won it all four years ago.
Odds for the Women’s Field
Which women will likely be vying for the gold medal? The competition is a bit tighter in the women’s field than in the men’s, as all of the 10 golfers below could realistically be at the top:
| Golfer | Odds (Sportsbook) |
| Nelly Korda (USA) | +650 (bet365) |
| Atthaya Thikikul (Thailand) | +750 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Lilia Vu (USA) | +800 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Jin Young Ko (South Korea) | +1200 (bet365) |
| Brooke Henderson (Canada) | +1600 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Rose Zhang (USA) | +1600 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Miyuu Yamashita (Japan) | +1800 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Linn Grant (Sweden) | +2000 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Ruoning Yin (China) | +2000 (NorthStar Bets) |
| Hyo Joo Kim (South Korea) | +2200 (bet365) |
Three women to back
Who from the women’s field will capture gold for their country? Here are three of the women’s golfers that we think you should consider backing to win it all.
Nelly Korda (USA, +650, bet365):
The top-ranked golfer on the LPGA, Nelly Korda remains the favourite despite an interesting run for her of late. She won five straight events and six of seven after the Mizuho Americas Open, making her one of the most dominant names on the women’s tour.
She then proceeded to miss three straight cuts, but got her groove back shortly after, finishing T26 at the Amundi Evian Championship. If there’s anyone who can put on a dominant run, Korda is the name to back.
Lilia Vu (USA, +800, NorthStar Bets):
Vu has made the cut in every event she has finished this year and had a nice run in June where she won the LPGA Classic and finished T2 at the Women’s PGA Championship. She tied with Korda at the most recent Amundi Evian Championship, and is ranked second in the LPGA, behind Korda.
Vu offers consistency, though perhaps not of the same dominant quality that Korda has shown. But if her recent performances are anything to go by, she could and should be in the competition for gold.
Brooke Henderson (Canada, +1600, bet365):
Why not the Canadian girl to bring home gold? When she’s played well – Match Play (T9), Chevron Championship (T3), Dow Championship (T8) – she is among the best golfers in the world. Her consistency and ability to stay cool under pressure is definitely a major edge here as well.
If there is one downside, it is that she hasn’t closed out a win on tour this year. Having one victory would propel her into the top of the rankings, but for now, she remains a fringe contender. A strong start, though, and she could have a shot to win.
Our Picks
From the men’s field:
For now, it is too difficult to go against Scottie Scheffler. He has been as dominant as any golfer in recent memory and is an honest-to-goodness machine on the course. He has no flaws to his game and his ultra-competitive nature should see him through.
From the women’s field:
Though the easy pick would be Korda, Lilia Vu is interesting. She’s ranked second in the world and finished second at the Women’s PGA Championship. We think that taste of glory will give her the push she needs to edge out the other big names in the field.
