Tokyo Olympics: Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama in the hunt after opening round of men’s golf
- Big names in the field struggle as USA’s Justin Thomas shoots level par on Thursday
- Home hero Matsuyama goes two-under, with Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond one shot off the lead
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The reigning Masters champion, who recently recovered from contracting Covid-19, scored a two-under-par 69 to sit 20th in the 60-man field, six shots off the lead.
“This experience could be the first and last that I ever get to play in the Olympics in my home country. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to put together a better round,” Matsuyama said.
The USA’s Justin Thomas shot level par, and it was left to world No 161 Sepp Straka to seize the initiative, the Austrian hitting an eight-under 63 to start the tournament with a flourish.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond sits one shot off the lead, after a seven-under-par round without a single blemish on his card, which featured seven bogies.