Olympics 2021: How many rounds are there in women's golf? Explaining the rules of the sport Aditi Ashok, Diskha Dagar are competing in

Aditi Ashok completed yet another fantastic round of golf at the Olympics 2021 to find herself in second position with a score of 12 under par after three rounds.

A tropical storm alert in Tokyo has added spice to the event. The IGF competitions committee has announced that, in case weather plays spoilsport and Round 4 cannot be completed, the event will revert to a 54-hole instead of a 72-hole event.

This could potentially seal a medal for India in golf, its first in the sport. The other Indian in the event, Diksha Dagar, is sitting in the 51st position.

In this article, we take a look at how golf is played.

Golf at Olympics 2021

As we all know, golf requires a participant to hit a ball into a hole and counts the number of strokes it takes to manage that.

The Olympics have a stroke play competition where golfers compete on an 18-hole golf course over four rounds of competition. This effectively means that the event has four times 18, i.e. 72 holes.

Each hole is assigned a number of strokes that it is likely to be completed in, depending on its degree of difficulty and distance from the tee (starting point) to the hole. Usually a par score for a hole varies between three and five shots. A player who finds the hole in the set number of strokes is said to have achieved the par.

If a player finishes the hole in a lower number of shots, they are said to be under par. If it takes them more shots than the set number, they are over par.

At the end of the contest, the golfer who completes the 72-hole course in the least number of shots wins. At the Olympics 2021, the par score for a single round of 18 holes is 71.

So far in the women's competition, Aditi Ashok has completed her rounds with scores of 67, 66 and 68. Her cumulative under par score is 12.

Aditi Ashok continuing her brilliant performance as she holds her 2nd position in the 3rd round of Women's Individual Strokeplay at #Tokyo2020Nelly Korda of #USA is at Rank 1#Golf #Olympics #Cheer4India #TeamIndia #IND pic.twitter.com/ALPupIsER6

— Sportskeeda India (@Sportskeeda) August 6, 2021

If she manages to continue this performance in the fourth round, she will seal a medal for India in a sport that not many would have expected.

Meanwhile, Diksha Dagar has managed scores of 76, 72 and 72 during the three rounds.

Aditi Ashok's standings in Tokyo

Golf Rules explained in Tokyo Olympics:

· A total of 60 athletes take part in the Olympics.

· They play a total of four rounds.

· Each round consists of 18 holes, and they last around 4 hours each.

· This puts the total at 72 holes, played over four days.

· Saturday is set to be Day 4, with 3 rounds already played for the women.

· Each hole is assigned a pre-established number of strokes which depends on the degree of predicament and the length from the tee to the green.

· Players are on par if they manage to hit the ball into the hall in that exact number of strokes.

· Should they do it in one less stroke, they achieve birdie and eagle if they do it in two less strokes.

· On the other hand, should they take one extra stroke, it is called a bogey and a double bogey for two extra strokes.

· In Tokyo, the par is at 71 for 18 holes.

· Depending on how many fewer strokes they take (let’s assume X), they go X under. The higher the value of X, the better the player.

· Tomorrow’s play might be delayed or canceled due to weather issues.

· In that case, the total game might be reduced to 54 holes.

· Tie breakers are handled by separate playoffs for golfers involved in ties.

• If two players are tied for the first position, a playoff will be conducted to determine the gold and silver medals. If three or more players tie for first, a playoff will be conducted to determine the gold, silver and bronze medals.
• If two or more players are tied for the second position, a playoff will be conducted to determine the silver and bronze medals.
• If two or more players are tied for the third position, a playoff will be conducted for the bronze medal. In any case, only one gold, one silver and one bronze medal will be awarded.
• The playoffs will sudden death and will be played on hole nos 18, 10, 11. These holes will be repeated for as long as necessary.

The fourth and final round is scheduled for Saturday (early start because of the weather forecast). Golfers will tee off from both 1st & 10th holes.