Women’s Golf At 2016 Rio Olympics: What I Am Expecting

Lydia Ko (click to enlarge)

Sports is the theater of the unexpected at times. Who would have predicted that Monica Puig would take the women’s singles tennis Gold Medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics? Add in that I am awful at golf prognostication, I will share what I expect to see from the best women’s golfers in the world when play starts Wednesday. Beginning with the #1 ranked player, Lydia Ko, I expect the sole representative from New Zealand to medal. Whether that’s Gold, Silver or Bronze, look for the precocious Kiwi to be on the podium come the end of play.

Inbee Park (click to enlarge)

If I knew that Inbee Park were 100% healthy, I would guarantee that a strong South Korean team of Park, Sei-Young Kim, In-Gee Chun and Amy Yang would be podium locks, maybe for even two medals…but I’m not so sure the Hall of Famer is totally focused coming into Brazil. Could the strongest overall team go without a medal? I find that hard to believe…but maybe. With that in mind, I am turning to Team USA with Lexi Thompson, Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller to fill another medal slot. So with one medal remaining, there are a few teams like Thailand with Ariya Jutanugarn, Canada with Brooke Henderson or China with Shanshan Feng that could take home a medal. But maybe keep an eye on Australia with Minjee Lee and Su-Hyun Oh (or just Su Oh, if you’d prefer). Then again, so often in golf somebody has the week of their life and surprises everybody. Let’s see what happens!