This is the place an Olympic medal ranks in golf status

In simply two weeks, a area of 60 males will tee off at Le Golf Nationwide in Paris in hopes of incomes an Olympic medal.

Matthew Fitzpatrick will probably be amongst them, as certainly one of two males representing Nice Britain. (Tommy Fleetwood is the second qualifier.)

Since golf rejoined the Olympics program in 2016, solely six male gamers have earned medals: Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar gained gold, silver and bronze, respectively, within the 2016 Olympic Video games in Rio de Janeiro, and Xander Schauffele, Rory Sabbatini and C.T. Pan gained gold, silver and bronze in Tokyo in 2021.

There’s no questioning the status of an Olympic medal — it’s the top of accomplishment in lots of international sports activities — however the place does the accomplishment rank in comparison with different main golf tournaments? Within the aftermath of his T50 end on the Open Championship on Sunday at Royal Troon, Fitzpatrick, the 2022 U.S. Open champion, provided his take.

“It might in all probability be proper beneath there, slightly below a serious,” he stated. “I used to be saying out on the golf course to Richard it’s not one thing that golf has placed on the calendar at first of the yr that’s a should. The 4 majors are primary, and doubtless you take a look at the Race to Dubai, FedEx title, that’s quantity two, in addition to the Gamers and the BMW at Wentworth. I wouldn’t say it’s at all times been excessive on a golfer’s agenda, however this yr it’s.”

There are many perks up for grabs for the gold medalist in Paris this yr, together with exemptions into all main championships by way of the 2025 season, exemptions into the 2025 Gamers Championship and The Sentry (for PGA Tour members solely), and Official World Golf Rating factors.

This yr marks Fitzpatrick’s first time qualifying for the Olympics, and he stated it’s a chance he’s excited to expertise.

“It’s one thing totally different, one thing I haven’t accomplished earlier than, so I’m positively wanting ahead to it,” he stated.

However in the event you’re anticipated a united entrance with UK reps Fitzpatrick and Fleetwood, Fitzpatrick stated that gained’t precisely be the case.

“It’s a person match,” Fitzpatrick stated. “We’re each enjoying towards one another on the finish of the day. He’d say the identical factor. If it was a workforce occasion, we’d focus on the technique, for certain we might. Yeah, I feel we’re each simply wanting ahead to the expertise.”

The lads’s golf portion of the Olympics will probably be performed August 1-4, whereas the ladies will play afterward, August 7-10.

Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of feminine varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everybody on the masthead. She will be able to out-hustle them within the workplace, too, the place she’s primarily liable for producing each print and on-line options, and overseeing main particular tasks, reminiscent of GOLF’s inaugural Type Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview sequence, “A Spherical With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in each within the journal and in video type on GOLF.com.