While golf’s return to the Olympic games has been generally well received, it always felt like there was something missing.
For 2028, however, worry no more.
It was announced April 15 that the International Golf Federation (IGF) had confirmed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board had approved the addition of an Olympic Golf Mixed-Team Event.
The mixed event will debut in 2028 in Los Angeles and will complement the men’s and women’s Olympic golf competition.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to see a Mixed-Team Event added to the programme for Los Angeles 2028,” said IGF Executive Director Antony Scanlon. “Golf was incredibly successful at Paris 2024, and as we continue building on the momentum from Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, we’re excited to bring even more attention to our sport through this additional format.
“The athletes were very enthusiastic about their desire to play with their compatriots, and we look forward to watching them compete together in Los Angeles.”
The mixed event will be contested as a 36-hole competition: 18 holes of foursomes (alternate shot) for the first round, followed by 18 holes of four-ball (best ball) for the final round.
There will be a maximum of one team per country, with teams comprised of one male and one female who are already qualified for the men’s and women’s Olympic golf competitions.
If this event – which is set to take place after the men’s competition and before the women’s competition – were to have taken place in 2024, Corey Conners and Golf Town athlete Brooke Henderson would have been Canada’s representatives.
The addition of the mixed event marks the first Olympic golf team competition since 1904.
Golf is one of six sports – joining archery, athletics (4x100m mixed relay), gymnastics, rowing coastal beach sprint, and table tennis – to add a mixed-gender competition for 2028.
Scottie Scheffler won the men’s gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games by closing with a 62 at Le Golf National. Lydia Ko won the women’s gold in Paris — she won the silver in Rio and the bronze in Tokyo in 2021 — which also gave her points required for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Brooke finished T13 in Paris, while Corey Conners finished T9 on the men’s side.
Nick Taylor and Alena Sharp were the other Canadian Olympians in 2024.
The 2028 Olympics will take place between July 14-30 in Los Angeles, with the famed Riviera Country Club (the long-time host of The Genesis Invitational on the PGA Tour) playing host.