New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko (Bronze Medal) Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 7th August 2021. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021 / John Cowpland
New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko and Momoka Kobori have made the cut of 60 to be eligible for selection for the Paris Olympics.
The 60-player field for the Olympic women's golf competition was set after the release of the latest world rankings following the weekends PGA Championship in Washington.
Three Americans will compete at Le Golf National in Paris, France, 7-10 August: Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu and Rose Zhang, the world Nos. 1, 2 and 9, respectively.
Two players can qualify per country unless they are ranked inside the top 15 in the OWGR, then up to four can earn spots.
South Korea will now get three Olympians after Amy Yang won her first major title at Sahalee this week and rose from No. 20 to No. 5 in the Rankings.
She will join world No. 3 Jin Young Ko and No. 13 Hyo Joo Kim in Paris.
Ko will be chasing a third medal in Paris, after winning silver in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and bronze in Tokyo in 2021.
Japan-born Kobori has two Australian LPGA tour titles including last year's New South Wales Open.
The 25-year-old turned professional in 2021.
Her younger brother Kazuma turned professional last year.
Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier were confirmed in the men's top 60 for Paris last week.
The players' places will now be confirmed by the New Zealand Olympic Committee.
New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori tees off during the final day of the Australian Open golf tournament, 2023. Photo: AFP
60 qualified players (world ranking):
US
Nelly Korda (1)
Lilia Vu (2)
Rose Zhang (9)
SOUTH KOREA
Jin Young Ko (3)
Amy Yang (5)
Hyo-Joo Kim (13)
CHINA
Ruoning Yin (4)
Xiyu Lin (15)
FRANCE
Celine Boutier (6)
Perrine Delacour (75)
AUSTRALIA
Hannah Green (7)
Minjee Lee (11)
GREAT BRITAIN
Charley Hull (8)
Georgia Hall (36)
JAPAN
Yuka Saso (10)
Miyu Yamashita (19)
THAILAND
Atthaya Thitikul (12)
Patty Tavatanakit (25)
CANADA
Brooke M. Henderson (14)
Alena Sharp (292)
NEW ZEALAND
Lydia Ko (17)
Momoka Kobori (293)
SWEDEN
Maja Stark (21)
Linn Grant (26)
SPAIN
Carlota Ciganda (30)
Azahara Munoz (109)
IRELAND
Leona Maguire (32)
Stephanie Meadow (134)
SOUTH AFRICA
Ashleigh Buhai (41)
Paula Reto (196)
INDIA
Aditi Ashok (60)
Diksha Dagar (167)
MEXICO
Gaby Lopez (62)
Maria Fassi (186)
GERMANY
Esther Henseleit (64)
Alexandra Forsterling (69)
SWITZERLAND
Albane Valenzuela (70)
Morgane Metraux (127)
DENMARK
Emily Kristine Pedersen (87)
Nanna Koerstz Madsen (106)
CHINESE TAPEI
Peiyun Chien (88)
Wei-Ling Hsu (161)
NETHERLANDS
Anne van Dam (108)
Dewi Weber (302)
PHILIPPINES
Bianca Pagdanganan (113)
Dottie Ardina (298)
BELGIUM
Manon de Roey (154)
AUSTRIA
Emma Spitz (178)
SINGAPORE
Shannon Tan (181)
NORWAY
Celine Borge (187)
Madelene Stavnar (307)
CZECH REPUBLIC
Klara Davidson Spilkova (192)
Sara Kouskova (290)
COLOMBIA
Mariajo Uribe (198)
ITALY
Alessandra Fanali (211)
MALAYSIA
Ashley Lau (279)
FINLAND
Ursula Wikstrom (286)
Noora Komulainen (301)
SLOVENIA
Ana Belac (288)
MOROCCO
Ines Laklalech (321)