. Jon Rahm: “I’d sign up if we both got a medal, why not?”

. David Puig: “I’ve stopped seeing him (Jon) as the Spanish hero, I see him as a friend who has helped me to play better and reach this level.”

. Jon Rahm: “Winning an Olympic medal representing your country is an honor on par with the majors in golf.‘

. David Puig: “Hopefully these Olympic Games will help Spanish society as a whole to get to know golf better and enjoy it.”

Excitement for the novelty of representing Spain and participating for the first time in the Olympic tournament; overflowing enthusiasm at the start of the competition and the characteristic ambition of those who aspire to the highest. 

Jon Rahm and David Puig have spread optimism at the official press conference held in the Golf National press room, where their presence inspires admiration and respect.

They look at each other, they listen to each other, there is evident complicity between both players, who have traced, with the exception of the age difference, very similar sporting trajectories in their beginnings -National School, national teams, Arizona State University- to once again intertwine their desires around the development of the Olympic competition, which will take place from August 1 to 4.

“I’ll sign up if we both get a medal, why not?” Jon Rahm declared, while David Puig nodded silently, internalizing an Olympic experience that they are both building at breakneck speed.

Neither of them wastes any time: they visit the Olympic Village and various places in Paris on the inside to soak up a personal experience that they will both reinforce on the streets and greens of the Golf National from August 1st. 

The statements flow with great speed: “It’s exciting to wear the Spanish uniform again, on Sunday we will wear the red shirt,” says Jon Rahm.

“We watch all the sports we can in our free time; the water polo victory was amazing. We’ve always loved the Olympic Games; they’re something special, and being a part of them makes it even more special,” they both shared.

“Being here, representing Spain, still seems impossible to me. In January I was very far from qualifying, but after winning on the Asian Tour I saw that the dream could be possible,” says David Puig before focusing on how beneficial the feelings generated by their outstanding performances at the LIV Golf UK, which concluded last Sunday with Jon Rahm lifting the champion's trophy and David Puig near the top of the leaderboard, have been for both of them.

“Winning boosts self-confidence, I’m coming in with a lot of positive energy. The not-so-good feelings from previous weeks have faded away, knowing that I can win without playing at 100 percent,” Jon Rahm confirmed.

Comfortable and relaxed before the big battle, the feelings continue to unfold. “I’ve stopped seeing Jon as the Spanish hero, I see him as a friend who has helped me play better and reach this level,” says David Puig.

“Hopefully these Olympic Games will help the whole of Spanish society to get to know golf better and enjoy it,” they both say.

“On a personal level, winning an Olympic medal is the most important thing you can offer your country. It carries enormous weight, on par with the majors in golf,“ Jon Rahm emphasizes.

“There are many athletes who have worked their whole lives to reach a moment like this, just like us. That's why being here is so exciting,” the two reflect.

“Very few people in history can say they’ve been part of the Olympic Games, and that’s why it’s so special for us. Hopefully, we can be part of Spain’s success this week and add our medals to Spain’s tally; that would be incredible,” says Jon Rahm.

“What’s more important, winning majors or getting a gold medal? It’s hard to say. Golf’s history with the Olympic Games is so young right now that it may not have the magnitude or recognition it could have in the future. But winning an Olympic medal representing your country is an honor on par with the majors in golf,‘ Jon Rahm concludes.

CURIOSITIES ABOUT THE MEN'S OLYMPIC GOLF TOURNAMENT

. Ten of the top fifteen players in the World Ranking, including the top seven, are in Paris to compete in the men's Olympic tournament, which gives an idea of the enormous competition set even before it begins.

. Four players will be participating in the Olympic Games for the third time: New Zealander Ryan Fox, Malaysian Gavin Green, CT Pan (from Chinese Taipei) and Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti.

. Thirty-two golfers will make their Olympic debut, including four of the top 10 in the World Ranking: Scottie Scheffler (number 1), Ludvig Åberg (number 4), Wyndham Clark (number 5) and Spain's Jon Rahm (number 10).

. Five players competed in the 2018 Ryder Cup held at Le Golf National: Tommy Fleetwood (record: 4 wins, 1 tie and 0 losses), Rory McIlroy (2-3-0), Alex Noren (2-1-0), Jon Rahm (1-2-0) and Thorbjørn Olesen (1-1-0).

. Three winners of the French Open, part of the DP World Tour and played annually at Le Golf National, are present in the men's Olympic tournament: Guido Migliozzi (2022), Alex Noren (2018) and Tommy Fleetwood (2017).

. Four golfers competed in the 2022 World Amateur Team Championship held at Le Golf National: Ludvig Åberg (T7/Sweden), Adrien Dumont de Chassart (T11/Belgium), Keita Nakajima (T53/Japan).

. Irishman Shane Lowry and Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti were chosen to be flag bearers for their respective countries during the opening ceremony.

. Oldest golfer: Colombian Camilo Villegas (42 years old)

. Youngest golfer: Korean Tom Kim (22 years old)

. Thirty-two countries are represented, with a total of 60 golfers participating. (Country representation was 36 in Tokyo 2020 and 34 in Rio de Janeiro 2016). Switzerland is making its debut in the men's Olympic golf competition for the first time ever, thanks to the participation of Joel Girrbach.

. Highest ranked player in the Olympic Golf Ranking to win a medal: number 2 / Henrik Stenson – silver in 2016 

. Lowest-ranked player in the Olympic Golf Ranking to win a medal: number 43 / CT Pan – bronze in 2020 

. Australian Min Woo Lee will make his Olympic debut. A week later, his sister Minjee Lee will compete in the women's event. The Lees are the only brother-sister pair in the Olympic golf tournament.

. The parents of Korean Byeong Hun An, Jae-Hyung Ahn (KOR – bronze) and Jiao Zhimin (CHN – silver in doubles and bronze in singles), won medals in table tennis at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His father won a bronze medal, while his mother won silver in doubles and bronze in singles.