Olympic Selection

[Rapidcat]

6 hours ago, Raving Shanker said:

Feel very sad for some near misses - Furue and Ewing in particular. Both played steady golf in recent weeks, but neither quite brought the goods. You'd have to say on recent form that Yamashita over Furue was fair.

 

How is Stephanie Meadow in, representing Ireland?! She plays under the Northern Irish flag, a part of Great Britain for Olympic purposes, I would have thought. Or do I have this wrong? 

 

To add to @JungleJimbo's post, Ireland also only has one golf authority covering the whole island of Ireland for both men and women so they grow up in amateur golf representing just Ireland by default (this Wikipedia excerpt cover's it nicely):

 

 

When the women are amateurs, the best get to play Curtis Cup which is GB&I vs USA, so the Northern Irish women also don't have to choose to represent Ireland or the UK even at that stage in their career. Steph and Leona played Curtis Cup with Charley, Georgia, Bronte, Jodi and a few other now LPGA/LET pros, they've all known each other for c.15 years. 

 

The Olympics choice is quite a contentious one for someone like Rory, he cops it either way from those he decides not to represent.

This article explains his mindset (which you expect Steph would have as well, although unlikely she would rank high enough to ever get into the GB Olympic team if she so chose):

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/rory-mcilroy-ireland-britain-golf-nationality-b1894593.html

 

No wonder they both choose to live in the US.

[GolfMoose]

According to this article, the Netherlands is declining to send Dewi Weber and the two golfers qualified on the mens side due to their world ranking being too low, some kind of rule they have. (AVD will go).  Presumably the "bubble" lady will get that free spot.  It suggests this happened in 2021, didn't remember that.  The Intl Golf Federation supports sending them, describing how the margins are thin at that level and the whole "anyone can win" thing.  

 

I realize funding is not infinite but seems incredibly contradictory to the idea of increasing participation and eyeballs and growing the sport in your country, thinking how Aditi Ashok caused millions to suddenly pay attention in a country where golf was not marquee news. 

 

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/dutch-olympic-officials-deny-golfers-180005459.html

[JungleJimbo]

 

https://www.lpga.com/news/2024/international-golf-federation-announces-60-qualifiers-for-womens-olympic-golf-competition

 

 

 

Edited June 26 by JungleJimbo

[JungleJimbo]

5 hours ago, GolfMoose said:

According to this article, the Netherlands is declining to send Dewi Weber and the two golfers qualified on the mens side due to their world ranking being too low, some kind of rule they have. (AVD will go).  Presumably the "bubble" lady will get that free spot.  It suggests this happened in 2021, didn't remember that.  The Intl Golf Federation supports sending them, describing how the margins are thin at that level and the whole "anyone can win" thing.  

 

I realize funding is not infinite but seems incredibly contradictory to the idea of increasing participation and eyeballs and growing the sport in your country, thinking how Aditi Ashok caused millions to suddenly pay attention in a country where golf was not marquee news. 

 

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/dutch-olympic-officials-deny-golfers-180005459.html

 

So... Sarah Schober from Austria = as First Alternate , replacing Dewi Weber? (with the next Alternate = Pia Babnik from Slovenia)

https://www.igfgolf.org/olympic-golf-ranking/overview

 

...Reallocation reserve List 2024-06-24: https://www.igfgolf.org/olympic-golf-ranking/reallocation-reserve-lists/06-24/olympicwomenreallocationreservelist-24-06-24.pdf 

 

Edited June 26 by JungleJimbo

[JungleJimbo]

8 hours ago, GolfMoose said:

According to this article, the Netherlands is declining to send Dewi Weber and the two golfers qualified on the mens side due to their world ranking being too low, some kind of rule they have. (AVD will go).  Presumably the "bubble" lady will get that free spot.  It suggests this happened in 2021, didn't remember that.  The Intl Golf Federation supports sending them, describing how the margins are thin at that level and the whole "anyone can win" thing.  

 

I realize funding is not infinite but seems incredibly contradictory to the idea of increasing participation and eyeballs and growing the sport in your country, thinking how Aditi Ashok caused millions to suddenly pay attention in a country where golf was not marquee news. 

 

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/dutch-olympic-officials-deny-golfers-180005459.html

This article interviewed Dewi Weber, who offered to pay the relevant costs to be allowed to complete at the Olympics. 
 

Quote

 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/ParisOlympics2024-dutch-netherlands-not-sending-golfers-Dewi-weber 

 

The LPGA Tour posted on Tuesday that Dewi Weber had qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and that could have been the culmination of a dream for the Dutchwoman. Text messages poured into Weber's phone congratulating her on the accomplishment, a fitting celebration just a week ahead of her wedding.

 

However, Weber, 28, has had to painfully answer that, despite being eligible for Paris, the Netherlands will not allow her to play. Her homeland had four golfers eligible—Anne van Dam being the other golfer on the women’s side, and Darius van Driel, Joost Luiten for the men—but because of the nation's separate qualification rules for golf, only van Dam will represent the Dutch.

 

"Our own country is saying we don't think you're worthy of being an Olympian, and you're not worthy of representing the Netherlands," Weber told Golf Digest on Tuesday. "And that, honestly, that hurts. We even asked them, 'Hey, is this about money? Like, we will pay for it ourselves. Our Federation will pay for it.'

 

"And they said no, we just don't think you're worth it going to the Olympics. That is such a hurtful and sad message to send to elite athletes like us who have proven, according to the IOC and IGF standards, that we are worthy of doing that and we want nothing more than to represent our country and do all the things that the Olympics are about."

 

 

 

Edited June 26 by JungleJimbo

[Lobby]

Playing in the Olympics and representing your country has got to be the biggest honor an athlete can achieve. 
 

The Netherlands has broken some hearts with this thoughtless decision 

[JungleJimbo]

1 hour ago, Lobby said:

Playing in the Olympics and representing your country has got to be the biggest honor an athlete can achieve. 
 

The Netherlands has broken some hearts with this thoughtless decision 

 

Edited June 26 by JungleJimbo

[Rapidcat]

Australia also has tough Olympic selection criteria that can be more stringent than the basic Olympic level (across sports).

 

We've had plenty of athletes that have made the Olympic standard but not the OZ standard so don't get a gig.

 

The Olympics is supposed to be the zenith not a ho hum.

[Shakeshook]

4 hours ago, JungleJimbo said:

 

Lutein is deserving to go - just bec he competes in DP World doesn't mean he's a scrub.   And, this "odd" way of Olympic qualification in general, I quite don't agree with, but hey, they  (IOC) set the rules -- I just follow (and watch/not watch) depending on how it transpires on TV/coverage 😆

[ChronicSlicer]

11 hours ago, JungleJimbo said:

 

That would be my last day as a citizen in that country. That's straight up ignorant.

[JungleJimbo]

 

 

[JungleJimbo]

On 6/26/2024 at 7:50 PM, Lobby said:

Playing in the Olympics and representing your country has got to be the biggest honor an athlete can achieve. 
 

The Netherlands has broken some hearts with this thoughtless decision 

 

 

 

[Lobby]

Good luck to him

[AWinfortheAges]

On 6/26/2024 at 8:56 PM, ChronicSlicer said:

That would be my last day as a citizen in that country. That's straight up ignorant.

The UK did something similar to track and field athletes last year for the World Championships. These federations should allow the athletes to raise funding on their own.

[JungleJimbo]

17 hours ago, JungleJimbo said:

 

 

 

 

14 hours ago, Lobby said:

Good luck to him

 

Should the other Dutch players piggyback on Joost Luiten's court judgement w.r.t. trying to get to the Olympics?

 

 

[3eagles]

Apparently New Zealand is having the same issues. Number 2 women's player Momoka Kobori is appealing after she was denied. NZ has also denied a team for taekwondo. 

 

[Rapidcat]

8 hours ago, JungleJimbo said:

 

 

Should the other Dutch players piggyback on Joost Luiten's court judgement w.r.t. trying to get to the Olympics?

 

 

 

Wow, good on him.

 

Has been a significant golfer at times in his Euro career. Currently ranked #66 on DPWT this season/#151 on OWGR. Last win in 2018.

 

In reality, he's probably just making up the numbers.

 

Also has the chipping yips, sometimes he putts out of the rough 40 feet from the flag rather than chip (saw this earlier this season - it didn't work).

[JungleJimbo]

1 hour ago, Rapidcat said:

 

Wow, good on him.

 

Has been a significant golfer at times in his Euro career. Currently ranked #66 on DPWT this season/#151 on OWGR. Last win in 2018.

 

In reality, he's probably just making up the numbers.

 

Also has the chipping yips, sometimes he putts out of the rough 40 feet from the flag rather than chip (saw this earlier this season - it didn't work).

 

nice short interview with Joost Luiten.

 

Edited Wednesday at 03:42 PM by JungleJimbo

[Rapidcat]

19 hours ago, JungleJimbo said:

 

nice short interview with Joost Luiten.

 

 

Pretty much what I expected, most Dutch are such liberals/libertarians (think of drug decriminalization).

 

I worked for a large Dutch multi-national for 6 years and spent quite some time in The Netherlands.

 

Anyway, good on him, wouldn't surprise me if he plays above his typical in the event.