In an intense battle for the last American spot in the upcoming Olympics in Paris, Collin Morikawa emerged victorious, securing his place alongside Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Wyndham Clark in the golf field for the prestigious event.

The qualification process came to a close after Bryson DeChambeau's triumphant win at the U.S. Open in North Carolina. Prior to the start of the third major championship of the year, half of the United States' team had already solidified their positions. However, it was during this tournament that Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa secured their spots.

It was a photo finish for Patrick Cantlay, who came agonizingly close to clinching an Olympics berth. Cantlay needed either a victory or a runner-up finish to overtake Morikawa in the Official World Golf Rankings and secure the last American spot. However, a final-round even-par 70 saw him tie for third with Tony Finau at the U.S. Open, leaving him just short of the required result. Morikawa's slight edge in the rankings ultimately secured his place.

Morikawa, who finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, showed his mettle with a bogey-free 66 on Saturday at the U.S. Open, placing him in contention for the final round. Despite a T14 finish with a 2-over 72 on Sunday, his performance at the Memorial Tournament, where he earned a runner-up finish, proved instrumental in holding off Cantlay at No. 7 in the OWGR.

While Clark, the U.S. Open titleholder from last year, struggled during the tournament, finishing at 12-over after a final-round 77, his high rank in the OWGR at the start of the week ensured his inclusion in the Olympics.

Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele had already secured their places in the Olympics field, being ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the world, respectively. Scheffler's excellent season on the PGA Tour, with five wins and consistent top-10 finishes, added to his strong candidacy. However, his performance at Pinehurst, where he finished T41 at 8-over, was an unexpected outlier.

Schauffele, fresh off his victory at the PGA Championship, finished T7 at 1-under for the week. He will now drop to No. 3 in the new OWGR rankings after Rory McIlroy's runner-up finish at Pinehurst.

Bryson DeChambeau, despite his second U.S. Open title, will not be joining the American team in Paris. His win elevated him to No. 10 in the OWGR, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to secure his Olympics spot.

The qualification process for the Olympics hinges largely on the Official World Golf Rankings. The top 15 golfers in the OWGR after the U.S. Open are eligible to participate, with each country allowed a maximum of four players. The United States had a strong presence in the top 15, with nine players making the cut.

For the Olympics, the 60-man field will consist of the top two eligible players per country, as long as the country doesn't already have two players inside the top 15. Golfers like Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg, Tommy Fleetwood, Hideki Matsuyama, and Matthieu Pavon, the highest-ranked French player, have all secured their spots.

The Olympics golf tournament will be held at Le Golf National, situated southwest of Paris, the same venue that hosted the Ryder Cup in 2018 and the annual Open de France on the DP World Tour.

With the field now set, golf fans around the world eagerly await the start of the Olympics, where the best golfers will compete for glory on the global stage.