The final round of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 has a lot at stake for Patrick Cantlay, who is currently three shots behind the leader Bryson DeChambeau. Cantlay is not only looking to change the narrative surrounding his struggles in major championships but also has a chance to secure a spot in the Paris Olympics. With the qualifying period for the Olympics ending after the final round, Cantlay is ninth on the Olympic Golf Ranking list but needs to finish high enough to jump Colin Morikawa and claim the last American spot.
The American contingent for the Olympics is currently led by Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, and Colin Morikawa. However, Cantlay and Morikawa are both in contention at the U.S. Open, creating a game within a game scenario. If Morikawa manages to play well and fend off Cantlay on the final day, he could secure his spot in the Olympics, leaving Cantlay on the outside looking in. Additionally, Corey Conners from Canada is also in a similar situation, needing a top-10 finish to potentially jump ahead of his countrymen Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and secure a spot on the Olympic team.
There are also a few long-shot bids at the U.S. Open, with players like Francesco Molinari from Italy and Tim Widing from Sweden needing strong performances on the final day to secure a spot in the Olympics. On the other hand, players like Spain’s David Puig have already locked up their Olympic berths by making the cut at the U.S. Open and securing their positions as the top-ranked players from their respective countries. DeChambeau, currently ranked 38th, has a chance to move up in the World Ranking with a victory on Sunday but may still fall short of securing a spot in the Olympics.
The Men’s Olympics tournament is scheduled for August 1-4 at Le Golf National outside Paris, providing an additional motivation for players to perform well at the U.S. Open and secure their spots in the prestigious event. With the qualifying period coming to a close after the final round, players like Cantlay, Morikawa, Conners, and others will be looking to put up strong performances to earn their spots on the Olympic team. The competition at the U.S. Open is not only about the prestigious major championship but also about securing a chance to represent their countries at the Paris Olympics.
