June 17, 2024
It took until the final weekend of the Olympic qualifying period, but we now know that Team Canada will be represented in the men’s golf tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by Nick Taylor and Corey Conners.
At the conclusion of the U.S. Open on Sunday, Taylor and Conners were the top two Canadians in the Olympic Golf Rankings (based on the Official World Golf Ranking), putting them on a ticket to the Paris.
Taylor, 36, had positioned himself for an Olympic qualification following his historic victory at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open where he became the first Canadian in 69 years to win the men’s National Open. He beat Tommy Fleetwood with a 72-foot putt on the fourth overtime hole to become the only Canadian male golfer to win the Canadian Junior Championship (2006), the Canadian Amateur Championship (2007) and the Canadian Open (2023).
Taylor is an alumnus of the Canadian National Golf Team program and represented Canada at the World Amateur Team Championship (2008) and the World Cup (2018). His victory at the Phoenix Open last February, his fourth career on the PGA Tour, contributed to his qualification. Taylor is currently 35th in the world rankings.
“The opportunity to represent my country at the Olympic Games is a goal that I have cultivated for several years,” said Taylor. Seeing the news officially announced today, I feel both very humbled and like a dream. I’m excited to go to Paris to compete proudly wearing the maple leaf and soak up what will be an incredible experience. »
Conners posted Canada’s best finish in a men’s golf tournament since the sport returned to the Olympic program at Rio 2016, finishing 13th at Tokyo 2020, two shots shy of a seven-way tiebreaker for the bronze medal .
The 32-year-old finished the U.S. Open tied for ninth, helping him qualify for his second Olympic Games. This is the second time this season that Conners has finished in the top ten, having finished alone in sixth place at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open earlier this month. He needed to finish 11th or better at the U.S. Open to overtake Adam Hadwin and grab Canada’s second Olympic quota spot. Conners has two career victories on the PGA Tour, at the Valero Texas Open in 2019 and 2023. He is now ranked 37th in the world after climbing nine places this week.
Also an alumnus of the Canadian National Golf Team program and a former member of the International Presidents Cup Team (2022), Conners has represented Canada on numerous occasions, including at the World Amateur Team Championship in 2012 and 2014.
“It will be a huge honor to represent Canada alongside all the other athletes,” said Conners. It was an important goal for me to be on the team again this year and I can’t wait to go to Paris. »
The men’s tournament and the women’s golf tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will feature 60 athletes each. A country can enter up to four athletes per tournament, provided all four are among the top 15 in the Olympic Golf Ranking. Otherwise, there is a maximum of two athletes per country and gender.
Participants in the women’s Olympic tournament will be determined by rankings as of June 24, immediately following the Women’s PGA Championship, the third of five major women’s tournaments on the calendar. As of June 10, Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp held Canada’s Olympic qualifying spots.
The men’s golf tournament will take place from August 1 to 4 at Golf National, followed by the women’s tournament from August 7 to 10.
More than a century ago, George Lyon won Canada’s only Olympic medal in golf when he won gold in the match play format tournament in St. Louis in 1904.
Team Canada golfers at Paris 2024
Corey Conners (Listowel, ON)
Nick Taylor (Abbotsford, BC)
