Karrie Webb believes winning golf gold medal in Paris could be crucial for funding push

Olympic medals will come with cash rewards for plenty of athletes but there could be more at stake for the Australian golfers in Paris.

Australian golfing great Karrie Webb is convinced winning Olympic medals will convert to crucial government funding and the team captain will be driving that message home to the four players competing in Paris.

Webb, who is returning to playing for the first time since 2022 at the LPGA event in New Jersey this week, is not only the Australian skipper but remains a mentor to Aussie stars Hannah Green and Minjee Lee, who will be at their second and third Games respectively.

Australia hasn’t won an Olympic medal since golf was reintroduced at the Rio games in 2016, with Jason Day and, at this stage, Min Woo Lee set to fill the two men’s spots.

Webb said the fight for sports funding in Australia could often come down to performance at the Olympics, putting a premium on one of the quartet getting on the podium in Paris, with the gold to be played for at Le Golf National.

“I don’t know what happens in the US when an athlete medals, but in Australia medalling in the Olympics means your sport is gonna get more funding from the government,” she said.

Hannah Green is going for gold. Picture: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

“So it’s hugely important. When the Australian government at the tippy top of their priority list of who is going to get the funding, it’s ‘how did you go in the Olympics’?

“We only get to compete for two medals going against swimming. They’re probably 30, 40 medals. It’s important. Is it more important than winning majors? I don’t believe so.

“But as funding goes from the Australian government, it is more important.”

Webb, who won’t be staying in the Olympic village with the Australian golfers, said her job in Paris was to create a “team atmosphere” given the players are still competing individually.

But she said the close nature of the women’s players in particular would bode well for a medal-winning performance.

“These girls have travelled all over the world prior to turning pro together and have formed good friendships,” Webb said.

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“Then I think the big thing that sort of brought the core of the them together was International Crown last year. That team was a really fun team. I think everyone had a great time. It sort of just poured out to the rest of the Aussies on tour.

“I think on both the men’s and women’s we have a really good chance to medal.”

Originally published as Karrie Webb believes winning golf gold medal in Paris could be crucial for funding push