Indian Golf squad at Olympics 2024: Schedule, medal hopes and history

Golf has been a part of the modern Olympics for over a century, dating back to the 1900 Paris Games.

Golf continued its presence in the 1904 St. Louis Olympics before facing a setback in the 1908 London Games due to a dispute between British and Scottish representatives, leaving 1904 gold medalist George Lyon of Canada as the only remaining entrant.

Golf was absent from the 1912 and 1916 Olympics before attempting a comeback in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, which was later canceled due to a lack of entries.

For more than a century, golf remained sidelined from the Olympics before making a comeback in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The pandemic delayed the Tokyo Olympics and saw Aditi Ashok from India rise to prominence, capturing the nation's attention during the final round, which took place before sunrise.

In the end, it was a heartbreak for Aditi and a gold medal for Nelly Korda of the USA.

The 2024 Paris Olympics golf competition begins at the Le Golf National Golf Course on Thursday. Indian spectators will be glued to how Aditi Ashok tackles the course

Indian Golf Contingent at the 2024 Paris Olympics

India will be represented by four talented golfers at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The men's team includes Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar, both experienced players with multiple wins on the Asian Tour.

Sharma, the highest-ranked Indian male golfer, had a breakthrough year in 2018, winning twice on the European Tour. Bhullar, an 11-time Asian Tour champion, brings valuable experience and a strong track record.

The Indian men’s contingent usually trains at the DLF Golf Course in Gurugram, which is said to have a similar slope rating to Le Golf National in Guyancourt, just outside of Paris.

The women's team features Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar.

Aditi, competing in her third Olympics, is considered India's top medal contender. Her impressive fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics showcased her potential on the global stage. Dagar, a rising star with a Ladies European Tour victory under her belt, adds depth to the Indian contingent.

With a mix of experience and youthful talent, the Indian golfers will aim to make their mark on the challenging Le Golf National course. All eyes will be on Aditi Ashok, who hopes to build on her Tokyo performance and secure India's first Olympic medal in golf

The Schedule

Men’s Event

August 1st to 4th: Shubhankar Sharma, Gaganjeet Bhullar - 12:30 PM

Women’s Event

August 7th to 10th: Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar- 12:30 PM

Medal Prospects

While Shubhankar Sharma ranks 177th in the world and Gaganjeet Bhullar is at 301st, both will be playing in their first Olympic Games, and the pressure must be immense. A top-twenty finish from the Indian men's contingent can be expected.

Diksha Dagar, who competed alongside Aditi Ashok in Tokyo, brings a bit of Olympic experience and has the potential to influence the outcome of the game at any moment.

However, our hopes will primarily rest on Aditi Ashok, as she aims to improve upon her Tokyo performance and secure India's first-ever Olympic medal in golf. The color of the medal doesn't matter; what counts is the achievement.

Aditi has consistently raised her performance at multi-nation events, and her silver medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games is a testament to her capability.

If Aditi has a strong start and maintains her form through to the finish, unlike in Tokyo, a medal is definitely within her reach.

Indian Golfers at the Olympics

Ace Indian Golfer Anirban Lahiri became the first Indian to qualify for the Olympics via his rankings during the return of Golf to the Olympics in 2016. With Anirban, Shiv Chawrasia took part in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The 2016 campaign was however not so great for India, while Anirban finished 57th out of the 61 golfers, Shiv ended with a T-50 position.

It was also the first Olympics for Aditi Ashok where she ended her campaign as the 41st golfer out of 61 total golfers.

The pandemic delayed Tokyo Olympics, saw the Indian golfers rise in round one, Anirban Lahiri finished tied for eighth position. He was unable to capitalise on the good start and eventually faded from the top to finish at tied 42nd position. Udayan Mane also participated in the Tokyo Games, where he finished 56th.

While our eyes were glued to Aditi Ashok during Tokyo, Diksha Dagar became the second women golfer from India to play at the Olympics and finished in a tied 50th position.

Aditi made her second Olympic appearance in Tokyo in 2021. In the women’s individual stroke play event, ranked 200th in the world, she was in contention for a silver medal for most of the fourth and final round, closely behind Nelly Korda of the United States.

But Aditi finished fourth outside of the medal bracket after 72 holes, two shots behind the gold medal winner at the end of the round.