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sports2021

Golf at the 2020 Summer Olympics — overview of the golf competitions during the 2020 Summer Olympics

January 1, 2021

Golf at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics marked only the second return of the sport to the Games since its 112-year absence, contested behind closed doors due to COVID-19.

Quick Facts

Year
2021
Category
sports

Key Facts

Events contested
2 (men's and women's individual)
Players per event
60 players
Format
72-hole individual stroke play
Men's event start date
29 July 2021
Women's event start date
4 August 2021
Spectators allowed
None — played behind closed doors

By the Numbers

2
Events contested
60players
Players per event
72
Format
29
Men's event start date

Location

Map of Tokyo, JapanMap of Tokyo, JapanTokyo, Japan

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

Golf was reintroduced to the Olympic programme at Rio 2016 after a 112-year absence dating back to 1904. The 2020 Tokyo Games retained the same qualification system and event format established in 2016, with 60 players per event qualifying through world rankings.

Event

Two individual stroke play competitions, one for men beginning 29 July and one for women beginning 4 August, were held in Tokyo over four days each. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all rounds were conducted without spectators present.

Consequence

The competitions provided only the second Olympic golf results since 1904, continuing the sport's gradual re-establishment within the Olympic programme. The absence of spectators due to the pandemic made the 2020 edition a unique and historically unusual chapter in Olympic golf history.

Timeline Context

Timeline around 202120212018201920202022202320242020 Summer Olympics — games of the XXXII Olympiad, in Tokyo, Japan, held in 2021UEFA Euro 2020 — 16th men’s European association football championshipEurovision Song Contest 2021 — 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest2020 Summer Paralympics — 2020 edition of the Summer Paralympics2021 Formula One World Championship — 72nd running of the Formula One World Championship2021 Taliban offensive — 2021 military offensive by the Taliban causing the fall of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan2021 Copa América — Edition's XLVII Copa AmericaFootball at the 2020 Summer Olympics — association football practiced at the 2020 Summer Olympicsgolf-at-the-2020-summer-olympics-overview-of-the-golf-comp-2021