Nelly Korda shone for the Stars and the Stripes in 2021 when she defeated Mone Inami by one stroke and won the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Golf Championship. She finished her final round with three consecutive birdies, and that is what did the trick. She was adorned with the gold medal at the Kasumigaseki Country Club, but there was no official payout for winning the Olympic event.

However, she did receive $37,500 from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee for bringing home the gold medal and soaring the U.S. flag on the global stage. Along with that, she also gained 37 ranking points. What happens if she makes her country proud again at La Ville Lumière? Will the winner receive prize money this year?

The winner of the Olympics gets exemptions to the Majors

Only one round of the Women’s Olympics Golf Competition has concluded, and well, Le National Golf has already become a hassle for the players. However, Celine Boutier seems to have taken an exceptional three-stroke lead on her home soil. If she continues to keep up with her momentum, she might become the next recipient of the gold medal.

Along with the medal, she will also get exemptions into the 2024 AIG Women’s Open, the 2025 Chevron Championship, the 2025 US Women’s Open, the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and the 2025 Amundi Evian Championship. Additionally, the winners are also rewarded with one point towards the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Finally, they also get Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking points, which puts them higher on the list. Although the players who appear at the Olympics are not entitled to official payouts, different countries adorn their players with varying amounts of checks or prizes for winning, just like Korda.

Just like the world’s No. 1 player made it to the Hall of Fame, this year, if instead of Boutier, Lydia Ko paces up her game, and ends up winning the Olympics title, she might become the next to do so!

How will Lydia Ko make it to the LPGA Hall of Fame?

To get your name into the LPGA Hall of Fame, one must have 27 points to have their name included in the tour’s HOF list. Lydia Ko already has 26 points against her name, and winning the 2024 Paris Olympics will earn her that one remaining point, fetching her a place on the prestigious list.

The golfer from New Zealand made her debut at the Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. In her first attempt, she bagged a silver medal for her country, and in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which took place in 2021, she bagged a bronze medal. This year, she is stern about winning the gold, given that the course cooperates with her. She is currently tied for the 13th position with an even-par score with twelve other golfers.

Do you think Ko will finally be able to make it to the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame? Let us know in the comments section below!