Rory McIlroy hails ‘awesome’ atmosphere as fans flock to Olympic golf

With eight of the world’s top 10 in attendance and crowds of 25,000 this was a day that showed the potential of golf at the Games

This is what golf signed up for a dozen years ago. Not the Zika virus, which supposedly kept the big names away from 2016; or Covid which definitely excluded the fans last time in Tokyo. This was Paris 2024, with an opening-day crowd that shocked everyone in its scale and its excitement and a top 10 remarkably featuring representatives from six continents.
Le Golf National became Le Golf International and in a week which potentially could finally herald the sport’s Olympic breakthrough, this transformation seemed so appropriate. Plus ça change? Not a bit of it.
Of course, golf being golf at the moment and with Mother Nature always keen to stick in her nose into the fairwayed proceedings there were a few weather delays caused by the threat of lightning, and a LIV qualification row that will continue to rumble in the background. Yet this was a moment for positivity – although not electrical – and when a former world No 1 such as Jason Day declares that the anxiety levels were raging then it is clear the pursuit of gold is catching on.
“That was probably the most nervous I’ve been wearing a set of clothes that you look down and see the colours,” Day said. Inevitably the joke was cracked that this was quite the admission considering that the Australian’s outfits have been so outlandish this year that Augusta officials even asked him to tone down his costume at the Masters in April.
But it was no time to be flippant as Day, 36, was talking from his green-and-gold heart and his uniform – which in truth would have been more suited to the white ball of the Waca rather than that of his profession – had clearly yanked at his patriotic strings. “It took me a few holes to get over it,” Day added after a 69, which left him six off Japanese pacesetter Hideki Matsuyama (Asia). “I wasn’t expecting the size of the galleries and I wasn’t expecting my reaction.”
Day was one of the Rio refuseniks from golf’s grand Games comeback – after a 112-year absence –  citing Zika and, as the top-ranked player in the male sport at that juncture, his was a notable withdrawal. He now regrets that decision and McIlroy is another who has admitted that his Copacabana sidestep was a mistake. This reception was further evidence.
McIlroy is followed wherever he goes, but even this honey pot was stunned by the attendance which was estimated at 25,000. “Unbelievable,” said McIlroy, who is representing Ireland, after his 68. “Really surprising. With so many events going on spread all across the city, for people to venture out here and to watch us play, it was a really cool atmosphere. I was not anticipating this. I thought the weekend might get a few more but the first couple of days would be quieter. It was awesome.”
Rio is not a golf city, but neither is Paris. The difference is that while the world Nos 1 to 4 cried off back then, eight of the top 10 are in this 60-man field – and the other two were not invited.
Each nation is only allowed a maximum of four, meaning that the Americans, ranked eight and nine, were non-starters, and although Patrick Cantlay has his admirers – honestly –  it is Bryson DeChambeau’s exclusion that has whipped up the controversy. The Mad Scientist won the US Open, finished second in the US PGA and is only not here because he is a member of LIV and the breakaway circuit does not receive world-ranking points.
Joaquin Niemann, another LIV rebel, expects the criteria to be ripped up. “I don’t think it’s fair,” he said. “Because you don’t have the best players right now, I feel like.”
For 2024, it will have to do, and the Chilean (South America) is ready to make the most of it in a tie for third on five under, one back from defending Olympic champion and recent Open victor Xander Schauffele (North America) in second, with Team GBer Tommy Fleetwood (Europe) in a group on four under, also including world No 1 Scottie Scheffler, Kiwi Ryan Fox (Oceania) and South African Erik van Rooyen (Africa). Global and proud.