The women’s Olympic golf tournament will begin on Wednesday night and will include two Team Ireland athletes – Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow.
The tournament follows the men’s tournament, which saw Team Ireland narrowly miss out on a medal.
Leona Maguire will begin the tournament off the back of some top form in the LPGA Tour this year.
Stephanie Meadows, on the other hand, will be looking for a change in her fortunes in 2021 with seven cuts to her name this season – two of them at majors.
Both golfers will return to the Olympic scene, having represented Team Ireland at Rio 2016.
Maguire’s most recent round of golf was one that is tied for the lowest-ever score at a major from both male and female golfers.
The 26-year-old’s incredible final round at The Amundi Evian Championship shot her up the leaderboard into her best-ever final position at a major, tied-sixth.
This round of golf showcased what she is capable of and also continued her great vein of form.
After missing the cut twice in the space of a month, the Cavan native has completed five tournaments since June with her lowest final position being tied-15th.
Maguire will not have a cut to avoid this weekend as the women’s tournament does not have one this year and, if she continues her form, she could find herself chasing a medal on the final day.
However, she is only seen as 12th-favourite by the bookmakers, with Team USA’s Nelly Korda having the best odds at 7/1.
The former world number one amateur golfer will tee-off at 11:52 pm in a group with Bianca Pagdanganan of the Philippines and Finnish player Matilda Castren.
Stephanie Meadow will make her second appearance at an Olympic tournament in the early hours of Thursday morning as she goes out onto the course in search of a medal once again.
Meadow has had a poor 2021 season and will be hoping for some good luck throughout her weekend.
Her seven cuts in the season include five in the last two months and a span of four cuts in a row.
The 29-year-old will get her second Olympics campaign started at approximately 2:47 am and will be in a group with Taiwanese golfer Min Lee, competing under Chinese Taipei, and French professional Perrine Delacour.
Meadow will have the earlier tee time of the Team Ireland golfers in round two, teeing-off at 0:52 with Maguire doing so almost an hour later at 1:47 am.
Team Ireland Golf Tee Times
Round One
Leona Maguire – 11:52 pm
Stephanie Meadow – 2:47 am
Round Two
Stephanie Meadow – 0:52 am
Leona Maguire – 1:47 am
Odds
Leona Maguire – 20/1
Stephanie Meadow – 400/1
