There is an expression in Portuguese: “He or she who sings, scares away their woes.” For Brazilian golfer Victoria Lovelady, these are words to live by during the anxious wait for the Rio 2016 Games. Fifty days from the start of the women’s gold tournament, Lovelady has another countdown in mind: 13 days before the closing of the Olympic golf qualifying rankings. Sixty players will go to Rio 2016 and currently she sits in 60th place in the rankings.

“There is a not day that goes by that I am not asked about the Olympic Games,” Lovelady says, explaining that music is a release valve for the build-up of her nerves. “Even when I am playing, I sing a little Bossa Nova in my head, it helps me relax,” says the golfer who had a video of her singing posted on the official page of the Ladies European Tour.

Lovelady explained that the composition of her song happened quickly: “It took me half an hour, more or less. I was with guitar in my hotel room and decided to compose something,” she says. “I have been composing music now for a long time. Whenever there is a strong inspiration, the music comes out quickly.”

The Brazilian’s talent with the guitar has won over the golf circuit. During the Czech Republic stage of the European Tour, the golf organisation even asked her to teach the players and support staff how to play samba. “It was really cool” says the golfer, who has is a big fan of Bossa Nova legend Tom Jobim.

D-Day

Lovelady’s current status is that of biting her nails. As it stands, she and fellow Brazilian Miriam Nagl (58th in the rankings) have a berth at the Olympic Games. If it stays this way until 11 July, the two will be teeing off at the all-new Olympic Golf Course. If Nagl qualifies and she does not, Lovelady would not even have a chance of playing via a host-country invite, as Brazil are only entitled to offer this place if none of their players qualify directly.

The drama for Lovelady is that she is not competing in any more competitions before 11 July, or in other words, her Olympic fate is out of her hands. Without the possibility of accumulating more points in the ranking, she cannot overtake Nagl. This leaves three possible outcomes for Brazil: either they both qualify, or Nagl qualifies alone or they both finish below 60th place. In this situation, the Brazilian Golf Federation would choose which of them would take up the host-country invitation that Brazil is guaranteed.

Having last appeared in the Olympic Games in St Louis in 1904, golf will return from its 112 hiatus in Rio. “Everyone has been counting down to this,” says Lovelady, who took part in the test event at the Olympic course in March.

The Olympic golf tournament takes place between 11 and 14 August (men’s), and between 17 and 20 August (women’s).

Lovelady was one of nine golfers to break in the new course in March (Photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)