For this, the third Olympic golf competition since the sport’s readmission, the only players missing from the top 10 are two Americans who were ineligible because there are a maximum four other compatriots above them in the rankings.
So Patrick Cantlay (world number eight) and Bryson DeChambeau (nine) miss out because top dog Scottie Scheffler, Open and US PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa are all in the top six in the world.
The charismatic DeChambeau is the big miss. The US Open champion would surely be ranked higher if he did not play on the breakaway LIV circuit which does not qualify for ranking points.
“I think that’s the nature of qualification for the Olympics,” McIlroy observed. “You could have the fifth-best sprinter in the world but if he’s from a certain country, he’s not able to make it.
“So I think it’s just the way that the qualification works in the Olympic Games, and that’s not just in golf.”
Despite his recent U-turn to a more accepting view on LIV’s presence in the golfing firmament, the 35-year-old four-time major winner has little sympathy.
“It’s hard to compare the golf that they play to the golf that we play,” he said.
“That’s the reason they didn’t get world ranking points. If you want to qualify for the Olympics, you knew what you had to do.
“Just like if you wanted to qualify for the Ryder Cup, you knew what you had to do. They were very aware of the decision they made when they did.”
But, given the varying levels of strength in depth in various countries, seven LIV players do make the Olympic field, including Spaniards Jon Rahm and David Puig. The latter secured his place by making the cut at June’s US Open at Pinehurst.
“Making the cut wasn’t the main goal of the event but the first round (76) was pretty tough,” said the exciting 22-year-old Spaniard.
“But my second round, the goal was to make the cut and make the Olympic team.
“There were nerves, but they were good nerves and they helped me to perform well on Friday. After the round, I was happy with the score I got (68) and proud of making the team.”
Rahm, the 2023 Masters champion, arrived for his Olympic debut after securing his first LIV win at the JCB course in Staffordshire last Sunday.
“It was important for many reasons,” Rahm said of his first victory since that Augusta triumph.
“When you put yourself in position the next time, you obviously have that covered that you’ve done that already; I’ve been there, done it recently.”
The Olympic competition mirrors the established tours in being 72-hole individual strokeplay. Many observers believe it would be a more engaging set-up if there was a team element.
“We are here representing Spain,” Rahm said.
“Whether as a combined sport or us playing together, to be able to represent Spain, that would be extremely nice to share the stage with another player, to do something different, to maybe what we do every other day.”
