By: Max Bechtoldt
With the 2024 Paris Olympics wrapped up, it is time for some way too early predictions for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. Team USA will be on home turf for the first time in modern Olympic golf, playing at Riviera. Obviously women’s golf is so unpredictable with how fast players can move in the rankings. It feels unlikely for four United States players to make it in 2028, with the world getting stronger every year, but here is my best guess at who the most likely Americans are to be at LA28.
ROSE ZHANG
Rose Zhang has shown me more than enough in just over a season on tour to give me confidence in her longevity. Zhang just made her Olympic debut, is ranked No. 9 in the world and I think everyone agrees we haven’t seen the best out of her. In just over one season she already has two LPGA Tour wins and three top-10 major championship finishes. Zhang just recently turned 21 at the beginning of the Summer, by the time the 2028 team is locked in she should be in the midst of her prime. It would be a real surprise if the Southern California native Zhang isn’t back wearing the Red, White and Blue in 2028.
NELLY KORDA
No United States player has taken part in three Olympic games, but I think we can feel fairly safe in Korda remaining pretty high in the Rolex Rankings. Korda is a firm No. 1 currently, and while it wouldn’t take a ton for her to move down over four years, I just don’t see it. Though her game has been rough over the last couple months, we all still know how dominant she is when her game is on. Korda will be 30 when the next Olympics is played, which isn’t necessarily young in women’s golf, with Amy Yang and Celine Boutier being the only two current top-15 players in their 30s. If anyone will still be at the top of her game at 30 though, it would be Korda.
ZOE CAMPOS
It is somewhat likely we get a current amateur on the team, though cracking the top 15 so quick might be a tall order. In theory she should be on the LPGA Tour around the 2026 season, which would give her double the time Zhang had to move up the rankings. Now, Campos isn’t at the level Zhang was, but she has four wins in 2024 so far and is ranked No. 4 in the world amateur rankings. While Campos lost in the first round of matchplay at the U.S. Women’s Amateur this past week, she finished third in the stroke play portion. It is tempting to take a risk and pick Asterisk Talley, who has been a superstar amateur this year, but at only 15 it is hard to project what her future plans are. Campos seems likely to be a strong LPGA Tour player early.
LILIA VU
I do have my concerns about the No. 2 ranked player in the world, particularly around the back injuries that she has dealt with recently. Like Korda, Vu would be 30 at the next Olympics. She also hasn’t shown the level of longevity that Korda has yet for me to believe that she is going to still be one of the top 15 players in the world come 2028. That being said, when Vu is healthy she has been as consistently great as just about anyone in recent seasons. She has a game that is anchored by her strong putting skills, which should age well even if her health is inconsistent.
ALEXA PANO
It is a bit tough to project what Alexa Pano’s career will look like. She is very inconsistent, but she has had some high results. Pano will only be 23 at the time when these games will be played, so she is off to a quick and early start already. Pano won her first event last season in Ireland, and in the opening tournament of 2024 she had a runner-up finish. She has three total top-20 finishes this season, after having three last year as well. I would like to see Pano begin playing more consistent in 2025 to give me confidence here, but she is super young and super talented.
