Why is Bryson DeChambeau not playing in the Olympics?
Despite rocketing up the world rankings after winning the US Open, Bryson DeChambeau is not one of the four Americans heading to the 2024 Olympic Games…
After watching Bryson DeChambeau clinch his second US Open title, you might have been looking ahead to watching the swashbuckling, big-hitting beast again in France for the Olympic Games.
His sensational victory at Pinehurst rocketed him 28 places up the world rankings to 10th, the first time he found himself in the top 10 since the start of 2022.
And since the Olympic Games spots for each country are determined by the Official World Golf Rankings, even DeChambeau might have started packing his bags for Le Golf National in Paris.
But the 30-year-old, who signed for the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League and left the PGA Tour two years ago, will not be representing the USA this time around and here’s why…
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Bryson DeChambeau: Olympics not on the schedule despite US Open heroics
The Paris 2024 website states that qualification is determined by a ranking that is based on the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).
60 men and 60 women will compete in two separate competitions. The top 15 players in the OWGR are eligible for the Olympics up to a maximum of four players from a single country.
After the top 15, the Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR) take the top two eligible players per country as long as that country doesn’t already have at least two players in the top 15.
There will be four players representing the US this year: Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa as they are the top American players in the top 15 of the OWGR.
They are playing because they are all ranked higher than DeChambeau in the OWGR. Ranking points for each player accumulated over a two-year rolling period with points awarded for the most recent 13-week period. After the initial 13-week period, these points devalued by 1.1% for each of the next 91 weeks before they dropped off the player’s two-year record.
The OGR calculated the average points by dividing the total number of ranking points a player earned by the number of tournaments they played during that period.
As the points system was based on the OWGR, DeChambeau’s chances were always in jeopardy as by playing in the LIV Golf League, he was largely unable to acquire OWGR points because the rebel circuit’s events were rejected by the rankings board.
You can see the full Olympic Golf rankings here. The men’s event will be played on August 1-4.
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson, to name just a few.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
