. It is a curious fact that Jon Rahm, David Puig, Carlota Ciganda, and Azahara Muñoz have very similar sporting careers in their early days before achieving professional success.

Numerous Spanish champion triumphs in all categories; prestigious international amateur victories both individually and collectively; stay at Arizona State University to continue his academic and sports training before turning professional.

This is the link between Jon Rahm, David Puig, Carlota Ciganda and Azahara Muñoz, the Spanish golf representatives at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which will take place between August 1 and 4 for the men's competition, and from August 7 to 10 for the women's tournament.

With ages ranging from 36 years old for Azahara Muñoz to 22 for David Puig – in between are Carlota Ciganda (34) and Jon Rahm (29), all of them stood out from a very early age, accumulating in their respective records Spanish Championships of different categories, with special mention for the Navarrese Carlota Ciganda, who treasures all possible ones, from Benjamin to Absolute, in some cases several times (two Alevín and Infantil, three Cadete, three Absoluta).

Jon Rahm emerged later – his first Spanish Championship was in the Cadet category before he subsequently dazzled until the present day – while Azahara Muñoz and David Puig have followed trajectories that can be described as more traditional, with victories in Spanish Championships of various age groups since they were barely eleven years old.

These rewards translated into international success, where they have all achieved prestigious European and world titles representing Spain in individual and team tournaments.

Interestingly, the similarity of their trajectories extended when they all left Spain to continue their academic and sports training at Arizona State University, a destination where they continued to accumulate victories in the North American university sphere: Jon Rahm, ten; Carlota Ciganda, five; David Puig, three; Azahara Muñoz, two.

Then, in all cases, the four Spanish Olympic representatives have achieved significant successes in the different Professional Circuits – right now Jon Rahm and David Puig are playing in the LIV Golf and Carlota Ciganda and Azahara Muñoz in the LPGA – a curious common thread that now unites their trajectories in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

LIST OF SPANISH OLYMPIC GOLFERS' ACHIEVEMENTS below, in the Related Links section.

Golf is back in the Olympic Games

The discipline of golf was present at the Olympic Games in the Paris 1900 and Saint Louis 1904 editions, disappearing from the program in 1908. Its reinstatement became effective on October 9, 2009 when the IOC Selection Committee, meeting that day in its 121st plenary session in Copenhagen, once again included golf in the Olympic Program.

Officially reinstated at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, England's Justin Rose and South Korea's Inbee Park won the gold medals at stake in a tournament where Spain earned two Olympic diplomas thanks to Rafael Cabrera-Bello (who finished fifth) and Sergio García (eighth). In the women's category, Azahara Muñoz finished twenty-first and Carlota Ciganda thirty-ninth. 

Subsequently, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – held in 2021 as a result of the Covid pandemic – the victory went to Americans Xander Schauffele and Nelly Korda. 

The Spanish participation resulted in 38th and 59th place finishes for Adri Arnaus and Jorge Campillo in the men's competition, while Carlota Ciganda (29th) and Azahara Muñoz (50th) also finished outside the medal positions. Jon Rahm tested positive for Covid just four days before the start of the competition and was unable to participate.

Key Dates in Olympic Golf

July 23: The Olympic Torch visits Le Golf National

July 29: Announcement of matches and tee times in the men's golf competition

August 1-4: Men's golf competition

August 5: Announcement of matches and tee times for the women's golf competition

August 7-10: Women's Golf Competition