World No. 1 Jon Rahm will enter the Olympic golf competition as the favorite to take home a gold medal for Spain, but he’ll have to hold off a world-class field, including four Americans who are all considered leading contenders for medals in Tokyo.
FanDuel Sportsbook rates Rahm as the +500 top choice to win gold in the men’s golf tournament at the Tokyo Olympics, which tees off on July 28.
Rahm hot heading into Tokyo
Rahm won the US Open earlier this year to take home his first career major title. He finished in the top 10 at every major this year, including a tie for third in the Open Championship this past weekend. Rahm made a comeback on Sunday, but couldn’t quite make up enough ground to catch eventual winner Collin Morikawa.
“At the end of the day, still a really good showing,†Rahm said after his final round ended on Sunday. “I’m still going to smile because I gave it my all. Finished really, really strong and gave myself the best chance I could.â€
As the most consistent player in the world today, Rahm deserves his spot as the gold medal favorite, but many other top players are competing in men’s Olympic golf this year, including a star-studded American contingent.
Dustin Johnson decided not to play for Team USA, but British Open winner Collin Morikawa (+1000) is in Tokyo, along with Xander Schauffele (+1000), Justin Thomas (+1100), and Bryson DeChambeau (+1100). The unpredictable nature of golf means that nobody is guaranteed a medal over four rounds of play, but it would undoubtedly be disappointing if at least one American didn’t book a top-three finish at the Olympics.
Ireland could also be a serious factor in the Olympic golf competition. Rory McIlroy (+1200) played well as of late, as has Shane Lowry (+2000), who could compete for a medal as well. Paul Casey (+200) and Tommy Fleetwood (+2900) offer solid medal chances for Great Britain, while Viktor Hovland (+1400) comes in as a serious contender for Norway.
Garcia, Oosthuizen skipping Olympic golf event
The hosts also have a solid chance of medaling. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (+1400) will be one of the favorites. He’s joined by Rikuya Hoshino (+10000), a five-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour who finished tied for 26th at the US Open this year.
| Olympic Golf Odds – Men’s Tournament (via FanDuel Sportsbook) | |
| Jon Rahm (Spain): +500 | Collin Morikawa (USA): +1000 |
| Xander Schauffele (USA): +1000 | Justin Thomas (USA): +1100 |
| Bryson DeChameau (USA): +1100 | Rory McIlroy (Ireland): +1200 |
| Viktor Hovland (Norway): +1400 | Hikdeki Matsuyama (Japan): +1400 |
| Shane Lowry (Ireland): +2000 | Paul Casey (Great Britain): +2200 |
| Cameron Smith (Australia): +2900 | Tommy Fleetwood (Great Britain): +2900 |
| Abraham Ancer (Mexico): +2900 | Joaquin Niemann (Chile): +2900 |
While the Olympic golf competition features a very strong field – albeit with more international flair than usual for a major-level event – one of the biggest stories heading into the Tokyo Games is how many top golfers chose not to play. Along with Johnson, South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, Great Britain’s Tyrrell Hatton, and Spain’s Sergio Garcia are among the top names to bow out.
Players expressed a number of reasons for skipping the Olympic golf tournament, from health concerns to a focus on other events.
“I have made one of the most difficult decisions of my life,†Garcia wrote on Twitter. “I love the Olympic Games, and it is always an honor to represent Spain, however my number one sporting priority is the Ryder Cup at this moment … if I already qualified for the Ryder Cup, I would play the Olympic Games with certainty.â€