The ranking of Spanish golf for the Olympic Games is thrilling. Jon Rahm has practically guaranteed his place to be in Paris 2024, but a wonderful battle without quarter for the second place is looming. For now, there has been a change this week. The second place of David Puig in the International Series of Macao has allowed him to score enough points to surpass Pablo Larrazábal and become currently the second qualified for the Games. It is a significant move, as Puig barely plays tournaments valid for the world ranking and, therefore, that count for the Olympic Games, but at the same time it is not definitive, since there are still three months ahead to close the deadline.
In this sense, it must be said that Puig is playing his presence in the Golf National of Paris, venue of the golf tournament, both male and female, to two cards. On the one hand, to the invitation of the PGA of America for the second Major of the year, the PGA Championship. He needs to be in Valhalla to have the opportunity to score points. The second card is the US Open qualifier, third Major of the year and tournament with which the qualification for the Games is closed. Puig needs to be in these two tournaments (or do extraordinarily well in one of them) to have any chance.
The PGA Championship and the US Open, two tournaments that he currently has in the air, are the only opportunities that the young player from La Garriga will have to score world ranking points. The only tournament of the Asian Tour, where he has a card, that he could play in this period is the Saudi Open from April 17 to 20, but in principle he is not going to play it to rest. From there, until the deadline closes, there is only one more tournament in Asia, specifically in Korea, and he will not be able to play it because it coincides with the LIV Golf of Singapore.
The other possibility, very unlikely today in view of his most recent career, would be to ask for an invitation to a DP World Tour tournament and to be granted it. Unless an agreement is reached with the PIF in the coming weeks, it does not seem too real.
Meanwhile, the other Spaniards who are currently in this Olympic battle, will have many more opportunities to score world ranking points. As of today, the main candidates for that place that Puig now holds are Pablo Larrazábal, Jorge Campillo, Adrián Otaegui, Nacho Elvira and Alejandro del Rey. All of them are out of the PGA Championship and the US Open, like Puig, although they still have room to qualify. In addition, in the case of Pablo, Adrián, Nacho and Alex have a total of seven regular DP World Tour tournaments ahead to score points (we do not count Korea because, although it remains on the calendar after the Masters, it seems that it will be changed to October). Meanwhile, Campillo will be able to choose between playing some of those DP World Tour tournaments, plus seven other regular PGA Tour tournaments, where more points are distributed week by week.
So, at first glance, the player who will have more opportunities to score is Jorge Campillo, but in the end, the place will be for the one who manages to play better in these three months that remain. The qualification period for the men’s Olympic Games closes on June 17, just after the US Open. Remember that 60 players qualify, the first 15 in the world ranking, with a maximum of four per country, and from there, the best in the ranking with a maximum of two per country. One place is also by decree for the host country, although in this case it does not count, as France is going to put two by world ranking.
As for the women’s qualification for the Games, the situation is much clearer today. Carlota Ciganda has her place practically assured and the second is currently in the power of Ana Peláez, with a certain advantage, not definitive, over Nuria Iturrioz, Carmen Alonso and Azahara Muñoz. The women’s qualification closes one week later, on June 24.
The men’s Olympic tournament will be played from August 1 to 4 and the women’s will take place from 7 to 10.
