Let's be honest for a second. The teams at this year's Olympic golf competition are ... lackluster. The U.S. team is fine. Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed and Matt Kuchar are all right, but it could be a lot better. Great Britain is OK with Justin Rose and Danny Willett. Sweden and Spain are decent. But it gets ugly in a hurry after that. Names you've never heard of playing a course you've never seen.
So we decided to look at what some all-time teams might look like if somehow time travel was possible and you were able to shoehorn all of these players onto the same squad in the same era and play some Olympic golf. Arnold Palmer said recently he wishes Olympic golf was around back in his day.
As a kid growing up in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, I could dream about being an Olympian like Jesse Owens or Johnny Weissmuller. I could also dream about being a great golfer like Bobby Jones or Byron Nelson. But the idea of being an Olympic golfer never occurred to me. The notion of golf in the Olympics -- something that last happened a quarter-century before I was born -- was completely alien. But that all changed in 2009 when the International Olympic Committee voted to again include golf on the Olympics slate.
So let's make Palmer's dream come true and piece together some historic teams. We are dealing with a maximum of four players (the max allowed at the Olympics) and a minimum of two for historical purposes. And for the sake of the argument, let's pretend like this is a team event (which is what it should be) instead of an individual event. We will say you play the lowest score each day and add them all up at the end.
Here we go.
United States
- Tiger Woods
- Jack Nicklaus
- Ben Hogan
- Arnold Palmer
This was obviously the toughest team to put together, but these four would obviously be formidable. In picking them you have to leave off Sam Snead, Phil Mickelson, Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen and Tom Watson. All giants of the game who would make the team for any other country.
Spain
- Seve Ballesteros
- Sergio Garcia
- Jose Maria Olazabal
- Miguel Angel Jimenez
That's an underrated, solid foursome right there. They have combined for 105 European Tour wins in their careers.
Great Britain
- Nick Faldo
- Justin Rose
- Lee Westwood
- Tony Jacklin
I am dealing in the modern game so no Harry Vardon who played under the Jersey flag.
Ireland
- Rory McIlroy
- Padraig Harrington
One of only three countries represented (U.S. and South Africa) with at least two golfers who have won three or more major championships. McIlroy would play for Ireland since Northern Ireland does not compete in the Olympics.
South Africa
- Gary Player
- Ernie Els
- Bobby Locke
- Retief Goosen
That's a salty group. They wouldn't beat the Americans, but they would likely be the favorite to take silver.
Scotland
- Sam Torrance
- Sandy Lyle
- Colin Montgomerie
Unfortunately we cannot bring on any of the Morrises or Parks (old, young, junior or senior) but this is still a testy threesome. Could flirt with bronze.
Australia
- Greg Norman
- Jason Day
- Peter Thomson
- Adam Scott
Just a murderer's row of barrel chested beasts of the game, three of whom have been ranked No. 1 in the world. They would be the favorite for bronze.
Germany
- Martin Kaymer
- Bernhard Langer
An Open Championship shy of the career Grand Slam between them.
The Americans would no doubt win no matter the format. If they did not, it would be a bigger upset than Katie Ledecky losing the 400 or 1500-meter swim in this year's Olympics. Here's how I see the medals shaking out.
- Gold: U.S. -- Just a monstrosity of a squad. Four of the best ever.
- Silver: South Africa -- Some big dogs who love the big moment here.
- Bronze: Spain -- You know Sergio would go super low at least once and the rest are true sportsmen who love themselves a global competition.
Alas, this week we will likely get a Gavin Green-Matt Kuchar showdown for medal contention on Sunday.
