There’s nothing like the support of your nation’s Olympic Federation, or in Joost Luiten and Darius van Driel’s cases, the lack of support.
Despite both players qualifying for the men’s division in Paris through the International Golf Federation’s Olympic golf rankings, the Dutch Olympic Committe has elected not to send them because they don’t feel that either player has a realistic chance of winning a medal.
The story was first reported by the Associated Press, who claimed that Solheim Cup star and 2023 KPMG Women’s Irish Open runner-up Anne van Dam would be the sole participant from the Netherlands, with another ladies’ qualifier, Dewi Weber, also set to miss out for the same reason.
Qualifying for both the men’s and women’s Olympic events concluded following the respective U.S. Opens in recent weeks and nations have until July 09 to confirm their entries so there is a chance that the Dutch Olympic Committee may reconsider, however, past history suggests that they won’t as this is the second straight Olympic Games where Dutch golfers have been omitted from the Olympic panels.
“According to the NOC*NSF, there is no reasonable chance of a top-8 ranking in the Olympic Games [for Luiten, van Driel or Weber,” said a statement issued by the Netherlands Golf Federation (NGF).
“The players involved have been informed of the decision by the NGF and they are also disappointed.”
It is believed that the players’ world rankings is the reason they have not been selected to represent the Netherlands, with both Luiten and van Driel sitting outside the top 100 on the Official World Golf Rankings, and Weber currently lying 302nd in the Rolex Women’s Rankings.