The Olympics

In 2009, at the 121st Session of the International Olympic Committee (Copenhagen, Denmark) golf was included in the programme of the 31st Summer Olympic Games 2016.

60 male and 60 female athletes will compete in a golf tournament at the 31st Olympic Games 2016. The main criterion to qualify for the Olympics will be the golfer's position in the official Olympic rankings based on results of the world rankings. The Olympic rankings are in force since July 14, 2014 till July 14, 2016 (2 years).

Athletes occupying the first 15 places in the official world rankings (at the time of defining participants to the 2016 Olympics) automatically proceed to the participants' list which, however, cannot include over 4 representatives from a country.

National teams whose athletes are placed below 15 in the world rankings may delegate up to two athletes to the 2016 Olympics provided among the first 15 there are not more than two of them.

For the time being, Maria Verchenova (Balikoeva) has Olympic ranking among the Russian golfers and is the real candidate to be short-listed for the 2016 games.