For one of the few times this year, men and women golfers will compete without a purse. Medals and pride are the primary motivators at Le Golf National for the Olympic competitors.
There are, however, some significant perks.
The winner of the men's event, which begins Thursday outside of Paris, France, will receive:
- Exemptions into the four 2025 major championships (Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open);
- A spot in next year's Players Championship (as well as The Sentry signature event, if the winner is a PGA Tour member);
- Official World Golf Ranking points (as will all players in the field).
Do golfers get paid for playing the Olympics?
While there is no purse, many Olympic committees financially incentivize their athletes. For the most recent Games, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee paid athletes $37,500 for gold medals, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze. That payout goes for both men and women, as the women's golf competition will commence Aug. 7 on the same venue.
The winner of the women's event will gain exemptions into next month's AIG Women's Open at St. Andrews, as well as the other four majors in 2025 (Chevron Championship, KPMG Women's PGA, U.S. Women's Open and Amudi Evian Championship).
Women in the field will also receive Rolex Ranking points and anyone who claims a gold medal will earn one point towards the LPGA's Hall of Fame. That could prove significant for Lydia Ko, who has won a silver and a bronze in the last two editions and is currently a point shy of reaching the necessary 27-point threshold for HOF inclusion.
Of note on the men's side, a gold medal for South Korea's Tom Kim or Byeong Hun An would mean an exemption from their country's two-year mandatory military obligation.
Do golf caddies get medals?
No, caddies for winning players do not get medals. Players do receive an "Order of Ikkos" medallion, which the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee created in 2008, to award a coach, mentor or other person instrumental to the athlete's success.
When Matt Kuchar (USA) won bronze in the 2016 Rio golf event, he gave his medallion to his caddie, John Wood, who broke down in tears. Last year's gold medalist, Xander Schauffele (USA), gave dad Stefan the medallion but later presented his cadde, Austin Kaiser, with a gold ring.