Karrie Webb nominated for Olympic Captain role

Karrie Webb – photo and article Golf Australia

It was announced today that arguably Australia’s greatest ever golfer, Karrie Webb, is to be nominated as captain of Australia’s golf team for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.

Webb, the legendary seven-time major winner and World Golf Hall of Fame member, steps in to replace Ian Baker-Finch, who has retired from the role after captaining Australia at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Games and the 2020 (2021) Tokyo Olympics.

She will possibly become the first-ever woman to captain both men’s and women’s teams at an Olympic Games golf competition. In previous Games since golf returned the schedule in 2016, nations have used separate men’s and women’s captains, but Golf Australia, which made today’s announcement, chooses to use a single captain for both competitions.

Webb has also agreed to coach the Australian women’s team at the World Amateur Teams Championships this year.

That event is being held at the same venue that will host Olympic golf, Le Golf National, in August-September, meaning that Webb will get first-hand information about the Olympic host course, which is just outside Paris.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be nominated,” said Webb.

“The Olympic Games are very special to me and I’m a patriotic Australian, so to have an opportunity to work with the best Australian players on the biggest stage in sport is incredibly powerful.

“Aside from all that I’m very familiar with all the players who are likely to be in contention to play in Paris and in some cases, they are close friends of mine.

“I’m rapt to see that golf is in the Olympics as I think it has the potential to help grow our game globally as well as in Australia. Our best Australian players continue to fly our flag so well internationally and I know they will do so in Paris 2024  hopefully coming away with a medal or two. That’s what I’d love to see.”