With exactly 100 days to go until golf returns to the Olympic Games, the ‘Race to Rio’ is reaching the home strait and the jostling for position continues this week in the Trophée Hassan II.
Victory in Rabat for either Alex Levy of France or New Zealand’s Ryan Fox would all but guarantee their places in the 60-man field, while nine players competing in the Lalla Meryem Cup – the Ladies European Tour event being held simultaneously on the Blue Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam – are currently inside the automatic qualifying places for the women’s event.
They include Levy’s compatriot Gwladys Nocera, who is virtually assured a starting berth when golf makes its Olympic return following a 112-year absence.
Both agree that this week’s joint venture – which includes a mixed exhibition match on Wednesday morning – can only benefit both the men’s and women’s games.
Levy said: “It hasn’t been done before, so it’s really nice. We are sharing a players’ lounge this week, so it will be good to have lunch with the ladies and get to know them better.
Hopefully in the future we will have more events like this one, and maybe one day we might have a mixed event because it would be fun.
Alex Levy
“I knew a few of the LET players because I played with them as amateurs, because we don’t have any tournaments together I haven’t seen them for a while, so it will be nice to catch up with them and see how they’re doing.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Nocera, who will defend her Lalla Meryem Cup title this week.
She said: “I think it’s pretty special to have both events in the same week at the same club, and I’m really grateful to the people who had this amazing idea. I’m looking forward to the crowds coming to watch the ladies, then the men.
“I know a lot of the French players but we don’t get to see each other very often, so this week will be a great opportunity to catch up. And I’m really looking forward to the exhibition match, that should be a lot of fun.”
Fox can point to a rich sporting heritage in his family, with father Grant winning the Rugby World Cup in 1987 and his grandfather, Merv Wallace, having played for the New Zealand cricket team in the 1930s and ‘40s.
But neither got the opportunity to represent their country in the Olympics, giving Ryan a rare chance to claim the family bragging rights.
He said: “To get the chance to play in the world’s pinnacle sporting event would be awesome. We’ve got a bit of sporting heritage in our family, but to the first to represent New Zealand in the Olympics would be an absolute privilege and something I’d always cherish.
“I’m not guaranteed to get in but if I am in the top 60 come the cut-off point in July, I know Mum and Dad would love to come along and see me compete, so I’m sure they’d be looking into flights and accommodation.
“But there’s a lot of work to do between now and then, starting with this week. I’ve been struggling for consistency this season and it’s been a bit up and down, but I’m coming here off a really good last round in China this week, so hopefully I can keep the momentum going and be in contention on Sunday.”
