Rory McIlroy desperately wants gold medal but questions Olympics vs the majors

Rory McIlroy has questioned whether the Olympic Golf Tournament will ever be compared with the four majors solely because of the way the qualification system works at the Games. 

McIlroy, 35, touched down at Le Golf National in Paris last night after a quick practice round on the Old Course at St Andrews earlier in the day.

GolfMagic was also in attendance at St Andrews on Monday as McIlroy hit back at a loud American heckler in the crowd. 

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After a quick holiday to Portugal with his family following a lacklustre missed cut two weeks ago at The 152nd Open at Royal Troon, McIlroy is eying the opportunity to clasp his hands on an Olympic gold medal for the first time in his career. 

But while McIlroy admits a gold medal around his neck on Sunday 'would mean a lot' to him, he does not believe the Olympic Golf Tournament is anywhere near on par with the majors at The Masters, US PGA, US Open and The Open. 

At least not right now. 

"It's hard to say [whether the Olympic Golf Tournament will become like a major], as even this week, the way the qualification system works, not all the best players in the world are here," McIlroy told BBC Sport NI. 

"You'd like to think that if you're going to win something really prestigious in the sport then you want all the best players playing and that isn't quite happening here.

"It's still very meaningful and if I were to win a medal, especially a gold medal, it would mean a lot to me."

He added: "It’s well documented that I haven’t won one of the big four [majors] in 10 years. It [Olympics] would probably be one of, if not the biggest in my career for the last 10 years.”

McIlroy's comments about competing and contending in the Olympic Games are hugely different to what he said ahead of Rio in 2016.

Back then, McIlroy withdrew from the Olympics and said: "I didn't get into golf to try and grow the game. I got into golf to win championships and win major championships."

A similar argument about all the world's best players competing alongside another is being made right now in regards the huge divide on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

LIV Golf, which emerged on the scene in 2022, has acquired some of the world's best players who were previously competing regularly on the PGA Tour such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Tyrrell Hatton and Cameron Smith.

As it stands, the PGA Tour is working on a new commercial deal with LIV Golf's bankrollers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund, in a bid to try and help unify the professional game. 

Why is Rory McIlroy representing Ireland at the Olympic Games?

World No.3 McIlroy is representing Ireland at the 2024 Olympic Games alongside his good pal Shane Lowry, who was the flag bearer for the nation at the opening ceremony last week.

McIlroy, who was born in Northern Ireland, said he has chosen to represent Ireland because he has 'always played for Ireland during junior and amateur days'. 

How do players qualify for the Olympics?

Golf qualification for the Olympic Games is limited to 60 players through the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).

The top 15 players on the OWGR are eligible for the Olympics, up to a maximum of four golfers from a single country.

Team USA are the only nation to have four representatives at the 2024 Olympic Golf Tournament - Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark.

After the top 15, the Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR) consist of up to the top two eligible players per country, as long as that country does not already have at least two players in the top 15.

How long has golf been part of the Olympic Games?

Golf is making its third straight appearance in the Olympic Games. 

Justin Rose won gold at Rio in 2016 and then Xander Schauffele took gold in Tokyo in 2021. 

But prior to 2016, golf had not been at the Games since 1904.