LIV’s Koepka, Hatton pass on Olympics consideration

MIAMI: LIV golfers Brooks Koepka of the United States and Tyrrell Hatton of Great Britain are among several notable players who have asked for their names to be removed from consideration for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, according to multiple reports Saturday.

Both players were unlikely to have made their respective Olympic teams, in part due to LIV Golf’s lack of Official World Golf Ranking accreditation.The Olympic golf teams will have automatic selections for the top two players in the OWGR, with up to four players per country able to qualify if all are in the top 15 in the OWGR.

While playing for LIV’s Smash GC team, Koepka has seen his world ranking drop to No. 31. He stands in 18th place among Americans.Great Britain’s Hatton, who moved to LIV Golf in January, currently ranks No. 16 in the OWGR, with two fellow countrymen ahead of him, and will be unlikely to improve his standings with continued play on the LIV circuit.

Other LIV players who have reportedly asked the International Golf Federation to remove them from consideration are Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and Thomas Pieters of Belgium.

The PGA Tour’s Adam Scott of Australia also reportedly opted out for the third straight opportunity. Scott had previously expressed his dislike for the current format for golf at the Olympics, calling it an “exhibition” and expressing his preference to allow amateurs to compete.The IGF reportedly does not plan to officially release the names of players who have opted out.