Cape Town - Golf is returning to the Olympics after 112 years and boasts a diverse field of golfers, but the big-name omissions from the men's field are hard to overlook.
Golfers from no less than 41 countries will be taking part in the event, which will be held at the Reserva de Marapendi Golf Course from August 11-14 (men) and August 17-20 (women).
Across the men’s and women’s competition, there will be 32 players from Asia, seven from Australasia and Oceania, while Africa will have five representatives.
Europe, North America and South America will have 52, 14 and 10 players competing respectively.
In the men’s event, Bubba Watson is the top seed despite being surpassed in the world rankings by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, who won his first major title at The Open on Sunday.
Rickie Fowler, reigning Masters champion Danny Willett and Justin Rose round out the top five.
World No 1 Lydia Ko will be the player to beat in the women’s event as she has won four tournaments this year, including the ANA Inspiration, her second major title.
Brooke Henderson, who won her maiden major title at the Women’s PGA Championship last month, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson and Sei Young Kim complete the top five in the seedings.
Many high-profile players, including men’s world No 1 Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy, are missing from the event though due to concerns about the Zika virus, while some have attributed their withdrawals to busy schedules.
Men
1. Bubba Watson (USA)
2. Henrik Stenson (SWE)
3. Rickie Fowler (USA)
4. Danny Willett (GBR)
5. Justin Rose (GBR)
6. Sergio Garcia (ESP)
7. Patrick Reed (USA)
8. Matt Kuchar (USA)
9. Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)
10. Byeong Hun An (KOR)
11. Thongchai Jaidee (THA)
12. Danny Lee (NZL)
13. Emiliano Grillo (ARG)
14. David Lingmerth (SWE)
15. Soren Kjeldsen (DEN)
16. Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
17. Martin Kaymer (GER)
18. Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA)
19. Anirban Lahiri (IND)
20. Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN)
21. Joost Luiten (NED)
22. Thomas Pieters (BEL)
23. Jaco van Zyl (RSA)
24. Fabian Gomez (ARG)
25. Jeunghun Wang (KOR)
26. Scott Hend (AUS)
27. Marcus Fraser (AUS)
28. Brandon Stone (RSA)
29. Yuta Ikeda (JPN)
30. Shingo Katayama (JPN)
31. Gregory Bourdy (FRA)
32. Julien Quesne (FRA)
33. Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL)
34. Ricardo Gouveia (POR)
35. David Hearn (CAN)
36. Wu Ashun (CHN)
37. Miguel Tabuena (PHI)
38. Hao Tong Li (CHN)
39. Alex Cejka (GER)
40. Graham DeLaet (CAN)
41. Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
42. Padraig Harrington (IRL)
43. Ryan Fox (NZL)
44. SSP Chawrasia (IND)
45. Danny Chia (MAS)
46. Mikko Ilonen (FIN)
47. Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
48. Felipe Aguilar (CHI)
49. Cheng Tsung Pan (TPE)
50. Adilson da Silva (BRA)
51. Seamus Power (IRL)
52. Espen Kofstad (NOR)
53. Roope Kakko (FIN)
54. Nino Bertasio (ITA)
55. Siddikur Rahman (BAN)
56. Wen-Tang Lin (TPE)
57. Gavin Kyle Green (MAS)
58. Matteo Manassero (ITA)
59. Rodolfo Cazaubon (MEX)
60. Jose-Filipe Lima (POR)
Women
1. Lydia Ko (NZL)
2. Brooke M. Henderson (CAN)
3. Inbee Park (KOR)
4. Lexi Thompson (USA)
5. Sei Young Kim (KOR)
6. Amy Yang (KOR)
7. Ariya Jutanugarn (THA)
8. In Gee Chun (KOR)
9. Stacy Lewis (USA)
10. Anna Nordqvist (SWE)
11. Shanshan Feng (CHN)
12. Minjee Lee (AUS)
13. Gerina Piller (USA)
14. Suzann Pettersen (NOR)
15. Harukyo Nomura (JPN)
16. Charley Hull (GBR)
17. Teresa Lu (TPE)
18. Candie Kung (TPE)
19. Pornanong Phatlum (THA)
20. Carlota Ciganda (ESP)
21. Su-Hyun Oh (AUS)
22. Shiho Oyama (JPN)
23. Azahara Munoz (ESP)
24. Xiyu Lin (CHN)
25. Sandra Gal (GER)
26. Karine Icher (FRA)
27. Catriona Matthew (GBR)
28. Caroline Masson (GER)
29. Nicole Broch Larsen (DEN)
30. Pernilla Lindberg (SWE)
31. Alena Sharp (CAN)
32. Gaby Lopez (MEX)
33. Mariajo Uribe (COL)
34. Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DEN)
35. Paula Reto (RSA)
36. Gwladys Nocera (FRA)
37. Julieta Granada (PAR)
38. Kelly Tan (MAS)
39. Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)
40. Ashleigh Simon (RSA)
41. Laetitia Beck (ISR)
42. Giulia Molinaro (ITA)
43. Ursula Wikstrom (FIN)
44. Noora Tamminen (FIN)
45. Klara Spilkova (CZE)
46. Christine Wolf (AUT)
47. Giulia Sergas (ITA)
48. Maria Verchenova (RUS)
49. Leona Maguire (IRL)
50. Albane Valenzuela (SUI)
51. Alejandra Llaneza (MEX)
52. Chloe Leurquin (BEL)
53. Fabienne In-Albon (SUI)
54. Tiffany Chan (HKG)
55. Michelle Koh (MAS)
56. Aditi Ashok (IND)
57. Miriam Nagl (BRA)
58. Victoria Lovelady (BRA)
59. Stephanie Meadow (IRL)
60. Maha Haddioui (MAR)