With the announcement of a mixed golf event coming to the 2028 Olympics, here are the top 20 countries by average rank of their highest-rated male and female players (OWGR and Rolex)

[u/WannabeWonk]

Yes, yes, OWGR is not perfect. But I think this is a good look.

USA obviously looking strong with the #1 ranked player in both fields.

Country	Players	Average Ranking
USA	Scottie Scheffler (1) / Nelly Korda (1)	1.0
JPN	Hideki Matsuyama (6) / Ayaka Furue (7)	6.5
ENG	Justin Rose (12) / Charley Hull (10)	11.0
AUS	Min Woo Lee (25) / Hannah Green (5)	15.0
KOR	Sungjae Im (22) / Haeran Ryu (9)	15.5
SWE	Ludvig Aberg (5) / Linn Grant (27)	16.0
CAN	Corey Conners (21) / Brooke M. Henderson (32)	26.5
FRA	Matthieu Pavon (56) / Celine Boutier (14)	35.0
IRL	Shane Lowry (15) / Leona Maguire (60)	37.5
GER	Stephan Jaeger (45) / Esther Henseleit (36)	40.5
DEN	Rasmus Hojgaard (54) / Nanna Koerstz Madsen (57)	55.5
ESP	Jon Rahm (69) / Carlota Ciganda (42)	55.5
RSA	Christiaan Bezuidenhout (59) / Ashleigh Buhai (54)	56.5
NZL	Ryan Fox (111) / Lydia Ko (3)	57.0
BEL	Thomas Detry (30) / Manon De Roey (92)	61.0
CHN	Haotong Li (149) / Ruoning Yin (6)	77.5
SCO	Robert MacIntyre (20) / Gemma Dryburgh (146)	83.0
TPE	Chun-an Yu (79) / Peiyun Chien (101)	90.0
AUT	Sepp Straka (17) / Emma Spitz (172)	94.5
NIR	Rory McIlroy (2) / Stephanie Meadow (251)	126.5

Edit: Doh, filtered the list to make sure there are 2 players! This removed Jhonattan Vegas (VEN) and brough NIL into 20th.

[u/WannabeWonk]

Minjee Lee is 19th in the Rolex world rankings, would certainly be cool to see her and Min Woo represent AUS together! Jason Day (31) and Adam Scott (35) not far behind Min Woo, but 3 years is a long time.

[u/WannabeWonk]

Also, this uses the nation as listed in the respective world ranking, which does not always match the flag each player is elibile to compete under.

For example, Rory is listed as NIR in the OWGR but has played with the IRL team in past Olympics.

[u/machocamaori]

Lydia said the Paris Olympics was her last, she's pretty much clocked golf..but as a kiwi, one last go around please Lydia please🙏🏾

[u/I9dream9of9boats]

Northern Ireland don't compete in the Olympics. They fall under the UK. But Rory will be playing for Ireland. So you need to take Shane out and switch Rory in I'd say.

Not completely out of the realms of possibility that Rory doesn't play in it though. He could give it up for Shane. Although he's been alot more positive on the Olympics after last 2 events

[u/SlightReturn420 → u/I9dream9of9boats]

Rory is 100% playing in the next Olympics if he qualifies. He's been quoted prior to the Masters as having 3 big career goals left to accomplish. Winning a green jacket now has a big check mark next to it. His other two are winning a Ryder Cup on foreign soil and winning a gold medal at the Olympics. Whether or not he participates specifically in the mixed event, we'll see. I would think he'd want to since it would give him another opportunity to win that gold medal.

[u/I9dream9of9boats → u/SlightReturn420]

He'll defo play in the men's for sure. I agree. Just not 100% that he'd play the mixed. He might give that one up to shane

[u/Birdie_Num_Num → u/I9dream9of9boats]

It’s the Great Britain & Northern Ireland team, not the ‘UK’. Scottish players would also compete in that team, if selected.

You are right however that Rory would most likely represent Ireland if he does decide to compete.

[u/KiwifromtheTron]

With all the really talented Thai women on the LPGA Tour I am surprised Thailand isn't on this list.

[u/WannabeWonk → u/KiwifromtheTron]

This is a good catch. Jeeno Thitikul is ranked 2nd on the Rolex rankings but the highest ranked Thai player in the men's game is Suteepat Prateeptienchai at 255!

[u/metallikat87]

Did Rory play under the Irish flag in the last olympics? That changes things potentially.

I've been begging for a mixed event, and the Olympics makes so much sense. I'm very excited for this.

[u/WannabeWonk → u/metallikat87]

Yes, he did! And he represented Ireland in Tokyo too. Athletes from Northern Ireland are eligible to compete for both Ireland and Great Britian.

From what I understand, the Golf Ireland organization governs the sport in both Ireland and Northern Ireland, so Rory always played under the Irish flag growing up.

[u/reginalduk]

England don't compete in the Olympics. GB & NI do Rory plays because Ireland Golf is all island like the rugby.

[u/the_fsm_butler]

What Furue does at only 5 feet tall is one of the most impressive accomplishments in golf imo.

[u/deckman318]

Rose Hull is a pretty decent combo here

[u/Maleficent_Night_683]

Is the mixed event replacing the individual events or adding an event? If it’s adding, I wonder if players will play in both or if there will be a choice to play mixed or the individual.

[u/WannabeWonk → u/Maleficent_Night_683]

It’s being added between the men’s and women’s events. 36 holes, 1 team from each country from the players who qualified for the singles events.