A pair of top-15 women and two men who ooze green and gold will lead Australia’s charge for a maiden Olympic golf medal in Japan.
Minjee Lee (world No.14), Hannah Green (15), Cameron Smith (28) and Marc Leishman (34) – the top-ranked Australians on tour – will compete at Saitama’s Kasumigaseki Country Club as the sport makes its second Olympic appearance.
They all present strong cases to contend, with Lee – a five-time LPGA Tour winner and seventh at Rio 2016 – and Green combining for six top-10 finishes on the Tour this season.
Green has four of those, including runner-up in the Women’s World Championships in April to follow her Women’s PGA Championship victory in 2019.
A top-five finisher at this year’s Masters, Leishman has found form at the right time while Smith was runner-up there last year.
They won as a pair at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April and say wearing Australian colours will bring out their best.
“Growing up as a golfer you never thought about representing your country in the Olympics,” Leishman said.
“To be able to have an opportunity to represent your country is a massive honour something that I’m excited for.
“It would be such an awesome thing to be able to bring home a medal for your country.
Queenslander Smith, 27, said he loved competing in Japan on tour and was looking forward to playing in Tokyo again.
“Any chance I get to put on the Australian flag and put on the green and gold I’m there, I’m super pumped,” he said.