On August 1, 60 golfers will vie for Olympic glory at Le Golf National. The field, despite the LIV Golf outcry, boasts some of the best golfers in the world. A bunch of them have already landed in Paris, acclimatizing to the French weather. While Scottie Scheffler looks like the outright favorite, he will face tough challenges from his compatriots and global competitors. Ahead of the Olympics, the golf men’s event kicks off on August 1. Here are our five picks.

Scottie Scheffler

It’s been more than a month since Scottie Scheffler last won a tournament. By his standard, that seems like a year, but the Texas star bagged another top-10 finish at the rugged Royal Troon. According to some reports, Scheffler has already arrived in Paris to gear up for the podium finish. Scheffler’s unraveling at the Open was the result of a three-putt on the par-4, 9th. He never recovered. 

Spotted a weakness? Don’t be too hasty. Scheffler has shown remarkable resilience in the past. Barely a month ago, world No. 1 almost slipped up his lead at the Memorial but eventually steadied his ship. At the 2024 Olympics, the two-time major winner heads as an absolute favorite, still holding the No. 1 rank in multiple categories. 

Xander Schauffele

Only a few months ago, Xander Schauffele said he was one of the many climbing a mountain while Scheffler stood tall at the summit. With the Open triumph, the two-time major winner has separated himself from that pack. Barring the T54 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Schauffele has never finished outside the top 25 this season. 

And, after his Royal Troon heroics, it’s hard to argue against the fact that he is currently the most well-rounded golfer across the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. The two-time major winner is 2nd in Strokes Gained (SG): Total, 2nd in scoring average, 5th in sg: approach to green, 11th in reaching greens in regulation, and 10th in sg: putting. Schauffele can manage any course he is handed, and Le Golf won’t be so different.

Jon Rahm

Much has been made of Rahm’s no-show at the majors. He was in the mix early on Sunday at Royal Troon, but three birdies early in the round were the only sparks in an insipid display from the two-time major winner. But Rahm has finished inside the top 10 in each of the LIV tournaments in which he competed for 54 holes. The Spaniard leads the LIV golf field in reaching greens in regulation (73.41%). While he has to overcome two American giants for an Olympic gold medal, a finish outside the top five would surely be a disappointment.

Rory McIlroy

This will be Rory McIlroy’s second Olympics. Last time in Tokyo, the Ulsterman tied for 4th in stroke play. In his last eight events, dating back to the Zurich Classics, McIlroy has finished inside the top ten five times. At Le Golf National, the Northern Irishman’s most powerful weapon is his driver; at strokes gained, off the tee, he ranks 2nd in the PGA Tour.

In his last 20 rounds, McIlroy gained 2.05 strokes from tee to green. His distance from the box, coupled with his above-field-average accuracy, can prove to be a winning combination. The Open championship stands as an aftermath of the U.S. Open scar for some, but the Ulsterman candidly admitted he was caught wrongfooted by the gust of wind. At Le Golf, he won’t have to worry about that. 

Collin Morikawa

Arguably the best resurgence we have seen is from Collin Morikawa. In his last eight events, the two-time major winner has finished no worse than T16. The Las Vegas resident has resuscitated the outrageous iron play that won him two majors. Although currently outside the top-30 in SG: approach to green, Morikawa has been no. 9 over the past 20 rounds. The graph has been on an upward trend since the Masters.

Morikawa is not one of the longest hitters on Tour, but his accuracy off the tee is third best on Tour. Last time, he was the highest-ranked player in the field and bagged a T3. Six players rank above the University of California-Berkeley alum this year. But a top-five finish at the Olympics won’t be too surprising. 

While that covers the big five in Paris, keep an eye out for Ludvig Aberg. The Swedish youngster impressed in his debut major performances, never giving away a hint of unfamiliarity with the courses. Wyndham Clark, on the other hand, makes his Olympic debut this year. But rather than being a favorite, the former U.S. Open champion is tasked with proving his worth. The men’s golf event tees off on August 1 following a standard 72-hole stroke play. But there is no 36-hole cut, unlike the PGA Tour events.