We are less than six months away from the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

How do the players qualify? Let’s take a look

Qualifications will be based on the world rankings as of June 29, 2020, with a total of 60 players qualifying.

All players who are ranked in the top 15 of the Rolex Rankings as of June 29, 2020, will automatically qualify. The only exception to this is that one country may not have more than 4 players.

The remaining spots will go to the highest-ranked players from countries that do not already have 2 golfers qualified.

The International Golf Federation has guaranteed that at least one golfer from each geographical region (America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania) will qualify.

Here is the Format for Golf in the Olympics

Seventy-two holes of individual stroke play (four rounds scheduled over four consecutive days). The player with the lowest aggregate score wins. In the event of a tie for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place, a playoff will determine the gold, silver, and bronze medal winners.

For all rounds, the intention is to play in groups of three off the first tee. Pairings will be published no later than 2 days before the start of the first round. For rounds 3 and 4, pairings will be done using the accumulative score of the previous round, with the leaders teeing off last.

Who Would Qualify Using Today’s Rankings

If the event was held today, the following players would qualify. Based on Rolex World Women’s Golf Rankings 1/27/20.

1. Jin Young Ko (RR #1) KOR
2. Sung Hyun Park (#2) KOR
3. Nelly Korda (#3) USA
4. Nasa Hataoka (#4) JPN
5. Danielle Kang (#5) USA
6. Sei Young Kim (#6) KOR
7. Brooke Henderson (#7) CAN
8. Jeongeun Lee6 (#8) KOR
9. Minjee Lee (#9) AUS
10. Lexi Thompson (#10) USA
11. Hinako Shibuno (#11) JPN
12. Ariya Jutanugarn (#13) THA
13. Ai Suzuki (#14) JAP
14. Carlota Ciganda (#15) ESP
15. Hannah Green (#22) AUS
16. Shanshan Feng (#23) CHN
17. Charley Hull (#26) GBR
18. Bronte Law (#32) GBR
19. Yu Liu (#35) CHN
20. Caroline Masson (#37) GER
21. Moriya Jutanugarn (#38) THA
22. Lydia Ko (#42) NZL
23. Gaby Lopez (#43) MEX
24. Azahara Munoz (#44) ESP
25. Celine Boutier (#53) FRA
26. Madelene Sagstron (#55) SWE
27. Nanna Koerstz Madsen (#66) DEN
28. Nicole Broch Larsen (#74) DEN
29. Teresa Lu (#85) TPE
30. Anna Nordqvist (#95) SWE
31. Anne Van Dam (#97) NED
32. Wei-Ling Hsu (#98) TPE
33. Ashleigh Buhai (#104) RSA
34. Alena Sharp (#111) CAN
35. Esther Henseleit (#128) GER
36. Maria Fernanda Torres (#135) PUR
37. Aditi Ashok (#147) IND
38. Marianne Skarpnord (#153) NOR
39. Mariajo Uribe (#168) COL
40. Daniela Darquea (#186) ECU
41. Tiffany Chan (#206) HKG
42. Cristine Wolf (#213) AUT
43. Stephanie Meadow (#228) NIR
44. Guilia Molinaro (#234) ITA
45. Klara Spilkova (#253) CZE
46. Leona Maguire (#256) IRL
47. Perrine Delacour (#262) FRA
48. Manon De Roey (#285) BEL
49. Yuka Saso (#287) PHI
50. Clariss Guce (#295) PHI
51. Sanna Nuutinen (#296) FIN
52. Maria Fassi (#298) MEX
53. Ursula Wikstrom (#303) FIN
54. Lee-Anne Pace (#310) RSA
55. Tonje Daffinrud (#318) NOR
56. Julieta Granada (#324) PAR
57. Diksha Dagar (#358) IND
58. Laetitia Beck (#379) ISR
59. Katja Pogacar (#399) SLO
60. Albane Valenzuela (#403) SUI

The Republic of Korea would send four players. Highly ranked Hyo-Joo Kim (#12), Inbee Park (#16), So Yeon Ryu (#18), and Amy Yang (#20) would not be on the team unless they pass one of the four players currently ahead of them in the Rolex Rankings.

The USA would have three players on the team. Highly ranked Jessica Korda (#17), and Lizette Salas (#19) would not be on the team. Either player could make the team automatically by moving into the top 15 of the Rolex Rankings.

I will update this again as we get closer to the deadline.

Other LPGA Stats & Facts

Although the LPGA is just two tournaments into their 2020 schedule, they are off to a flying start. The first tournament went to a playoff (Gaby Lopez defeated Inbee Park and Nasa Hataoka), and the second tournament brought us a first-time winner in Madelene Sagstrom (one stroke over Nasa Hataoka).

Nasa Hataoka, Celine Boutier, and Sei Young Kim are the only players who finished in the top ten in both tournaments.
Brittany Altomare has made 34 consecutive cuts. That leads the LPGA by a wide margin.
Rolex Rankings Movers of the Week:

Jennifer Kupcho moves into the top 50 for the first time in her very young career. She moves up four spots this week to No. 48.

Madelene Sagstrom is the week’s biggest mover, leaping up from No. 116 to No. 55. Further down the rankings, Cydney Clanton’s top ten finish moved her up 46 spots to No. 156, while Klara Spilkova’s top ten finish moved her up 120 spots from No. 373 to No. 253.

Tony

Feature photo of Nelly Korda at the 2019 CME Group Tour Championship and all other photos were taken by Women’s Golf photographer, Ben Harpring.