Christiane spoke to the CPG direct from Paris during the Olympic Golf women’s competition about her experiences as a Rules Official during the week, the electric atmosphere at Le Golf National, and her valuable advice for PGA Members early on in their careers looking to develop themselves.

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The Olympics so far have been amazing, and, knowing that I would come here, I’ve watched a lot on TV. Obviously the crowds were amazing for the men, but I have to say that it’s as good for the women. Especially the French girls have been supported massively, but so have the entire field – the fans have been amazing.

We could hardly move anywhere with buggies, which is always a good sign because it means that a lot of people are there to watch.

The atmosphere is amazing and it does feel different than a normal tournament because you just have far more people involved. People are really cheering each other along and they’re playing for their country rather than for prize money, which does give a bit of a different atmosphere.

Especially on the first tee when the players tee off – there are so many people cheering for every player and it is absolutely amazing.

My role this week has been as a rules official, but we do change the official assignments every day. Some days I’m assigned to a specific zone where I am responsible for any rulings popping up in that area. But on other days I’m assigned to be a rover, in charge of managing pace of play, and I could be either on the front nine or back nine, or as general rules, or keeping an overall picture.

To be part of the Olympics as a rules official is just amazing to be honest. It is always nice to be part of a big team, and we only get to meet the officials from the other tours where we do majors usually. So when we share tournaments it is always nice to meet up and collaborate. We have our colleagues from the LPGA but also we have people here from the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, The R&A, and USGA so it’s always really nice to be involved together and see what happens on the different tours and exchanging things.

The core setup this week is a little different to what we do on normal weeks on the LET, and much closer to what we do in major weeks. It is a bit tougher than the average LET tournament – the main differences are the course is playing slightly longer and green speed a bit faster. Plus we have an entire agronomy team here besides the local greenkeeping team and supervisor.

So there’s just more resources involved than what we normally have, but otherwise the standards are similar.

If I talk from a rules perspective, then if I’m just a rules official at one of our tournaments, then it is absolutely similar to what we do here. The only difference being that we have more referees out there than what we normally have. Normally we have around 6 – 8 rules officials out there – this week we are fortunate enough to have one rules official covering two or three holes, so we just have more staff on the ground.

My best piece of advice for a PGA member early in their career…? I started off with teaching and I really enjoyed my time doing that, but I think it is all about exploring what prospective options you actually have. Most people think it is purely teaching or maybe being a club manager, but there are so many options around what you can do as a PGA Member. Explore your options, try different things, and then try to find something that will inspire you to do it for the rest of your career. There is nothing wrong with doing one thing throughout your career at all but I am sure many would like to try different things along the way too.

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For more on the 2024 Olympic Golf  visit igfgolf.org/olympic-games/2024/paris.

Reflecting on his triumph, Rai expressed his emotions, saying, “It is truly a dream come true. I felt pretty calm. I knew the situation. I did just a good job sticking to what we do well.”

His ability to remain focused, particularly during the final hole where he made a crucial birdie, highlighted his disciplined approach—an approach that consistently includes the use of his MacWet golf gloves.

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The role of MacWet Gloves in Rai’s Success

Throughout his career, Aaron Rai has been synonymous with his distinctive use of two gloves, a choice that has been instrumental in his victories. This PGA Tour win was no exception.

Rai’s reliance on MacWet gloves, known for their unparalleled grip in varying conditions, was evident as he navigated the challenges of the Wyndham Championship. The gloves, designed with Aquatec® micro-fibre technology, ensured that Rai maintained a firm and consistent grip, even under the pressure of securing his maiden PGA Tour title.

His use of MacWet’s also proved pivotal in the humidity of his Hong Kong Open 2018 victory and during Storm Alex at his Scottish Open win in 2020.

Why Does Aaron Rai Wear Two Gloves?

Rai’s decision to wear two gloves has intrigued many golf enthusiasts. While most golfers opt for a single glove, Rai has always preferred the control and confidence that comes with wearing gloves on both hands.

This choice dates back to his childhood, where the habit formed due to a strong reliance on the feel and grip provided by the gloves. “When I wear the gloves, I immediately feel that my hands almost hug the grip a little bit better,” Rai explains.

This connection to his equipment has been a cornerstone of his game, particularly in crucial moments like his birdie finish at the Wyndham Championship to clinch victory.

The Science Behind MacWet Gloves

MacWet gloves are not just an accessory but a critical component of Rai’s performance. The gloves feature a unique Aquatec® micro-fibre material, originally developed for equestrian sports, and engineered from fabric made from yarn 3,000 times thinner than a human hair. This technology reacts to moisture from rain or sweat from the skin by enhancing the grip whilst retaining touch and feel, making it perfect for golf, where conditions can change rapidly. Whether in the heat of North Carolina, the humidity of Hong Kong or the rain-soaked courses Scottish links, Rai’s MacWet gloves provide the reliability he needs to perform at his best.

Aaron Rai’s Glove Selection

Depending on the climate, Rai chooses between different MacWet glove models. For the typically warm and dry conditions of the PGA Tour, he prefers the MacWet Original Micromesh gloves. However, during cooler and wetter conditions, such as those found in UK and European tournaments, Rai opts for the MacWet Winter Climatec gloves, which offer additional thermal protection without sacrificing grip.

Aaron Rai’s maiden PGA Tour victory at the Wyndham Championship is a testament to his talent, discipline, and the trust he places in his equipment—particularly his MacWet gloves. This win not only marks a significant achievement in Rai’s career but also highlights the contributing role that his MacWet gloves have played in his success. As he continues to compete at the highest levels, Rai’s unique two-glove approach, backed by cutting-edge technology, will undoubtedly remain a defining feature of his game.

For those wondering why Aaron Rai chooses to wear two gloves, the answer is clear: it’s a combination of personal preference, proven performance, and an unwavering commitment to excellence on the golf course.

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The 27-year-old Ko, who started the day tied for the lead, fired a 1-under 71 in the final round to finish at 10-under 278. Her lead stretched to as much as five shots after turning in 2-under 34, but she opened the door to the rest of the field following a double bogey at the par-4 13th.

Ko rebounded with four straight pars before dropping a birdie at the last, not only securing the gold medal but also the elusive final point she needed to secure entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame. The gold medal also makes Ko the first-ever three-time Olympic medallist in golf, adding to her silver from Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020.

Moving up 12 spots on the leaderboard and into the silver medal spot on the podium, Henseleit fired a 6-under 66 on Saturday to finish at 8 under, two shots behind Ko. The 25-year-old German opened with rounds of 72-73 before moving into the red on Friday thanks to a 3-under 69.

Also coming from behind to earn her spot on the medal stand was Lin, who birdied three of her last four holes to also post 69 on Saturday and finish three shots behind Ko.

Defending gold medallist and world No. 1 Nelly Korda of USA finished T22 in her gold medal defense, shooting a 3-over 75 on Saturday that included four birdies, four bogeys and a triple bogey. Also coming up short was Team USA teammate Rose Zhang, who teed off in the final group with Ko but shot 74 on Saturday and finished T8. Switzerland’s Morgane Mertraux, who set a new nine-hole Olympic record in the second round with a 28 on the front nine, started the day tied for the lead but fell to T18 after 7-over 79 on Saturday.

Fellow Swiss Albane Valenzuela carded the round of the day, firing a 7-under 65 that vaulted her 20 spots up the leaderboard to finish T13.

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The two-time major winner appeared set to hold the outright lead with one day to play until surprise act and playing partner Metraux produced an eagle at the par-five 18th to join her at 9 under after 54 holes.

Ko, who is bidding to become the first woman in the modern Olympic golf era to win three straight medals (she won silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020), mixed three birdies with a lone bogey at the seventh to turn in 2-under. She then cancelled out a birdie at the 10th with a bogey at the 12th, before birdieing the 17th to take a two-shot lead to the last.

It was then that Metraux, who had been in the shadows of others for most of Friday, produced her best moment of the round as she backed up an excellent approach at the final hole with an equally impressive 20-foot putt for eagle to record a 1-under 71.

While it was not as eye-catching as Thursday’s 6-under 66, in which she played the front nine in 28 blows, world No. 137 Metraux showed her resolve after her round threatened to unravel with three bogeys in a four-hole stretch from holes 10-13.

Two shots adrift sit their nearest challengers in Rose Zhang of USA and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita, another Olympic debutant.

Zhang made eagles at the 14th and 18th in her 67 that also included a double bogey at the par-4 15th, while Yamashita – two years her senior at 23 – posted a 4-under 68.

The Japanese was one of just two bogey-free rounds on Friday, with the other going to Canada’s Brooke Henderson as she hit a 5-under 67 to leave herself at 2 under.

Defending gold medalist Nelly Korda sits in a four-way tie at 7 under after a third-round 70, along with France’s Celine Boutier and China’s Xiyu Lin and Ruoning Yin.

Australia’s Hannah Green carded the best round of the day with a 6-under 66 that featured seven birdies and a stunning 153-yard, hole-out eagle at the par-4 17th to climb into a tie for 11th.

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After starting her day with a birdie at the first, the 27-year-old Metraux went on a tear, starting with an eagle at the par-5 third and then reeling off three straight birdies on Nos. 4-6. She capped her front nine with her second eagle of the day, dropping a putt from 15 feet, 7 inches to turn in 28 and record the best nine-hole score in both the men’s and women’s Olympic golf competitions to date.

“The difference between yesterday and today at the beginning is just the putts that fell,” said Metraux, whose previous best nine-hole score had been a front-nine 30 that came during the first round of the 2023 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G. “It just brought me confidence going forward and just tried to stay as present as I could and one shot at a time. It went pretty well.”

The momentum slowed on the back with a bogey-birdie-bogey stretch over holes 13 through 15, and she found the water with her second shot while trying to go for the green in two on the par-5 18th to finish with a bogey.

Metraux, winner of two Ladies European Tour titles, including the 2024 the Jabra Ladies Open in Evian-les-Bains, France, holds a narrow one-stroke lead over China’s Ruoning Yin, who carded the round of the day with a bogey-free, 7-under 65. Two-time Olympic medalist and defending bronze medalist Lydia Ko (72-67) of New Zealand vaulted up the leaderboard and stands third.

Also posting a notable second round was Slovenia’s Pia Babnik, who carded a 6-under 66 that featured a run of five straight birdies on Nos. 12-16. Babnik, who opened with a 2-over 74 in Round 1, improved 26 spots on the leaderboard and currently sits in a tie for fourth.

First-round leader and Frenchwoman Celine Boutier, who opened with a 7-under 75 on Wednesday, struggled to a 4-over 76 in Round 2. She suffered a particularly rough stretch on the back nine, making double bogey at 13, bogey at 14 and double at 15. Defending gold medalist Nelly Korda had eventful final stretch en route to her second-round 70, making birdie at 15, quadruple bogey at 16, bogey at 17 and birdie at 18.

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With big galleries gathered for the first round at Le Golf National on Wednesday, world No. 7 Boutier was inspired as she recorded eight birdies and one bogey to make a dream start in her medal pursuit. Her total equalled the lowest first-round score at the Olympics, matching efforts by Ariya Jutanugarn in 2016 and Madelene Sagstrom at Tokyo 2020.

The Frenchwoman, who won her first major last year on home soil at The Amundi Evian Championship, dropped just a single shot on Wednesday en route to reaching 7-under. She leads the way over South African major winner Ashleigh Buhai.

Boutier made three front-nine birdies before back-to-back gains after the turn saw her move into the solo lead. After finding a fairway bunker off the tee at the 12th, the 30-year-old dropped her lone shot of the day on the par 4.

But that only appeared to refocus her mind as she then reeled off three consecutive birdies from the 14th through to the 16th, highlighted by a chip-in at the par-3 16th hole. The French star then parred the final two holes before receiving a great ovation from the waves of fans assembled around the 18th green.

Buhai, who, like Boutier, is competing in her second Games after making her debut at Rio 2016, mixed five birdies with one bogey to card a 68. She grabbed birdies on the seventh and ninth holes to turn in 2-under, and Buhai was then flawless on the back nine, as a pair of birdies at the 13th and 14th helped her post a 4-under.

World No. 2 Lilia Vu, who pre-tournament said a gold medal would trump her two major wins, sits in a tie for third at 2-under in a four-strong group of players that also includes Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux, Mexico’s Gaby Lopez and Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe.

After a slow start that saw her bogey three of her opening seven holes, world No. 1 Nelly Korda recovered well to kick off her gold medal defense at Le Golf National with an even-par 72.

Perrine Delacour of France hit the opening tee shot at 9 a.m. but later said the experience drained her and contributed to a disappointing 7-over 79.

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Ryder Cup Europe today confirmed the qualification process for the 2025 European Ryder Cup team which will defend the trophy against the United States at Bethpage in New York from September 26-28, 2025.

In a significant change from previous years – an alteration ratified by the DP World Tour’s Tournament Committee – there will be only one Ryder Cup Points List operational in the 2024/2025 qualification period, using points earned in accordance with a new tournament banding structure implemented by Ryder Cup Europe in consultation with Captain Luke Donald.

The below table outlines the total points available at each tournament in each defined category. The distribution breakdown of these points is outlined in the table in the appendix.

This represents an amalgamation of and a replacement for the two former lists utilised in previous qualification campaigns; ie: the World Points List (which was based on Official World Golf Ranking points accrued during the qualifying period) and the European Points List (which was based on Race to Dubai Ranking points accrued during the qualifying period).

Elements of the process which have not changed are:

• To be eligible to be a member of the 2025 European Ryder Cup team, a player must (i) be European (defined in accordance with the IGF National policy) and (ii) be in membership of the DP World Tour.
• The team will comprise the top six qualified players (from the new Ryder Cup Points List) and six Captain’s Picks.

The qualification process for the 2025 European Ryder Cup team will begin at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at The Belfry from August 29 – September 1, 2024 – a tournament host and venue synonymous with Ryder Cup success, the English venue having played host to two European triumphs (1985 and 2002) and a tied match in 1989 to retain the trophy; Faldo having played in both 1985 and 1989.

The qualification process will end at the DP World Tour tournament which concludes on Sunday August 24, 2025, a tournament which will be confirmed when the DP World Tour outlines its full 2025 schedule next month.

Other important points to note in relation to the qualifying process are as follows:

• In 2024, from the start of the qualifying campaign (August 29) through to the end of the calendar year, the only place to earn Ryder Cup points will be from events on the DP World Tour – ie: the Back 9, the DP World Tour Play-Offs and the Opening Swing events of the 2025 season.
• Ryder Cup points will only be eligible to be earned in PGA TOUR events from January 1, 2025, until Sunday August 17, 2025.
• No points will be allocated to any events scheduled against Rolex Series events (as per the 2023 qualification campaign) other than in the 2025 ISCO Championship on the PGA TOUR, played opposite the Genesis Scottish Open.
• Points will be allocated to The Zurich Classic on the PGA TOUR with 50% of each position being allocated to each player in the team, but only if both players are European.

European Captain Luke Donald said: “I am delighted to be able to confirm the details of the qualification process for our 2025 Ryder Cup team. A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to get to this point and everything is now focused on doing all we can to retain the trophy in New York next September.”

Guy Kinnings, CEO of PGA European Tour, the Managing Partner of Ryder Cup Europe LLP, said: “This is a major milestone moment in our journey to the 2025 Ryder Cup. This is without question a much cleaner and simpler qualification system than the ones utilised in previous years and we thank Luke and his Vice Captains Edoardo Molinari and Thomas Bjørn for their vital input over the past few months.”

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On a thrilling final day in the outskirts of Paris, the American was flawless from start to finish, reaching 19-under 265 as he surged to victory, highlighted by an impressive back-nine 29 to underline his status as the world No. 1.

Tommy Fleetwood of Great Britain fell just short of emulating Rio 2016 gold medalist Justin Rose as a closing 66 saw him settle for silver, one shot behind at 18-under. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama rounded out the podium finishers with bronze, finishing a shot further back.

Frenchman Victor Perez delighted the home crowd with a brilliant final-round 63 to finish solo fourth at 16-under, with Rory McIlroy of Ireland and Spain’s Jon Rahm sharing fifth at 15-under.

Scheffler trailed overnight co-leaders Xander Schauffele – who was targeting back-to-back golds – and Rahm by four shots but showed his pedigree to follow up a fast start with an electric finish that included a run of four straight birdies from Nos. 14-17.

The victory is Scheffler’s seventh title of what has been a remarkable year, which already included his successful title defense of THE PLAYERS Championship and his second green jacket at the Masters Tournament in April.

Fleetwood held a share of the lead with Scheffler on the 17th tee, but a miscued chip shot from behind the green led to a bogey and proved costly as he was unable to find a birdie at the last to force a playoff.

Matsuyama, who held a share of the halfway lead, lost ground on Saturday with a level-par 71, but he bounced back in style with a bogey-free 65 to medal in his second Olympics.

Earlier in the day, Rahm seemed on track to win gold for Spain as he opened up a four-shot lead around the turn, but back-to-back bogeys at the 11th and 12th thwarted his momentum. A double bogey-7 at the 14th further hurt his hopes before he missed out on the podium altogether with back-to-back bogeys on his final two holes.

McIlroy finished alongside his Ryder Cup teammate after a spirited closing 66, with a double bogey at the 15th when he found water with his approach ultimately ending his chance of a medal.

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The American arrived at his second appearance at the Games on the back of winning The Open Championship two weeks ago and has continued his excellent form at Le Golf National.

Schauffele was part of a three-way share of the halfway lead at 11-under, but he shot a 3-under 68 that was highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 14th to outperform playing partners Tommy Fleetwood and Hideki Matsuyama on Saturday.

Rahm, playing in the group ahead, produced his second consecutive round of 66 that included a seventh birdie of the day at the 17th to also reach 14-under.

Fleetwood of Great Britain will join the major-winning duo in the final group on Sunday after he mixed three birdies with two bogeys to sit one stroke off the leaders.

Nicolai Højgaard enjoyed the round of the week so far as he matched the course record of 62 with a bogey-free total that featured an eagle and seven birdies.

That moved the Dane into a share of fourth on the leaderboard alongside Japan’s Matsuyama, who lost ground in his pursuit of an Olympic medal with a level-par 71.

World Nos. 1 and 3 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, respectively, are both poised to make a Sunday run as they played their way into contention after contrasting rounds.

While Scheffler mixed six birdies and two bogeys in a round that fluctuated, McIlroy enjoyed his first flawless score of the week as he made five birdies for a 66.

Thomas Detry of Belgium and Korea’s Tom Kim also sit at 10-under – four back – after they carded a pair of 69s. Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg, Australia’s Jason Day and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann round out the top 10 a shot further back.

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Matsuyama, who opened with an 8-under 63, followed up Friday with a 3-under 68 that featured an up-and-down front nine with three birdies and two bogeys. He seemed to be shifting momentum in the right direction on the back nine, making back-to-back birdies on Nos. 10 and 11 followed by a string of pars before notching two more birdies on 16 and 17.

But an errant tee shot on the par-4 18th put the current world No. 12 well right of the fairway, and his second shot off the mounds went just 66 yards and didn’t make it past the first cut of rough. He dumped his third shot in the water in front of the green and after taking a drop, Matsuyama hit it to 12 feet and made the putt for a 6.

World No. 14 Fleetwood (67-64) flirted with the course record during his second round, getting it to 8-under on the day through 17 holes before finishing with his lone bogey of the day at the last. His round was highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 third, where he drained a putt from 46 feet, 9 inches.

After the starting the day one stroke off the lead, defending gold medalist and World No. 2 Schauffele (65-66) dropped a shot early with a bogey at the second, but then turned things around with a stretch of three straight birdies on Nos. 3-5 and added three more on Nos. 9-11. He recovered from a bogey on 14 with a birdie at 15 and finished with four straight pars.

Belgium’s Thomas Detry, who opened with an even-par 71, carded the round of the day with a bogey-free, 8-under 63 – one off the course record and two off the Olympic record. He stands T5 with Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan (69-65), the defending bronze medalist, and Korea’s Tom Kim (66-68). Spain’s Jon Rahm (67-66) sits in solo fourth.

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The Japan native produced a bogey-free, 8-under 63 to top the 60-athlete leaderboard on a sultry day in the outskirts of Paris that featured two weather delays.

Defending gold medalist Xander Schauffele from the United States maintained his momentum from winning his second major title this season at last month’s Open Championship to sit second after a 65.

Joaquin Niemann of Chile, Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and Korea’s Tom Kim were then three shots off the lead at 5-under.

After missing out on a bronze medal in a playoff on home soil at Tokyo 2020, Matsuyama made the ideal start in his bid for a podium finish as he hit 11 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens.

The world No. 12 enjoyed a fast start with back-to-back birdies at the second and third, before three birdies in succession from the seventh saw him hit the turn in 5-under.

He then made it four birdies in a row at the 10th before two more gains at the 13th and 14th put him firmly in position to break the course record of 9-under 62.

While the early starter on Day 1 was unable to maintain that remarkable pace, he did stay blemish-free as he parred the tough four-hole closing stretch.

The in-form Schauffele got off to an excellent start with a chip-in birdie at the first, before six further birdies saw him close to two off the clubhouse lead held by Matsuyama.

His lone bogey of the day came at the 17th – just before lightning in the area resulted in a 39-minute interruption. He finished the round just before an additional suspension resulted in a delay lasting just over an hour.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler carded a flawless 4-under 67, while Rory McIlroy made an eagle in a 68 that was matched by Ryder Cup-winning teammate Ludvig Åberg, as the marquee threeball drew big crowds.

Earlier in the day, Victor Perez enjoyed the honour of hitting the opening tee shot on home soil. He recovered from a sluggish start to card four birdies on the back nine and finish at 1-under, one stroke ahead of fellow countryman Matthieu Pavon.

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