Hideki Matsuyama of Team Japan plays a shot from a bunker on the 18th hole during Day One of the Men's Individual Stroke Play at Le Golf National, in Paris, on Aug. 1.Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama grabbed an early lead in the men’s Olympic golf tournament with a bogey-free opening round, but defending champion Xander Schauffele of the United States was close behind as he brought his sparkling form to Paris.
The first day of competition at Le Golf National southwest of the French capital drew a buoyant crowd who roared on home pair Victor Perez and Matthieu Pavon.
The 60 contenders will all play four rounds in a stroke play format at the 2018 Ryder Cup venue.
The weather, a talking point of the Paris Games, shaped the day, with warm morning sunshine giving way to unsettled afternoon conditions that caused two interruptions of play due to lightning risks.
The first round was concluded about an hour later than scheduled at about 7 p.m. (1700 GMT).
Matsuyama, the former Masters champion who just missed out on bronze on home soil three years ago in a playoff, posted an eight under par 63, putting Asia’s top-ranked player two ahead of Schauffele, whose 65 featured seven birdies and one bogey.
Schauffele, who won last month’s British Open to claim his second major title this year, credited himself with steadying his game after a “clanky” start.
“It’s Thursday so I’m not really sweating it too much,” he told reporters.
Tied in third place at five under were Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and South Korea’s Tom Kim.
U.S. world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was in touch at four under after playing alongside Ireland’s world number three Rory McIlroy who finished on three under.
Perez hit the opening tee-shot at 9 a.m. (0700 GMT) to huge applause, with the atmosphere reaching its peak as fellow Frenchman Pavon arrived to the sound of the crowd bellowing out La Marseillaise.
“I was surprised there were a lot of people out here. Victor was in front of me and you could tell how they were cheering for him. It was pretty cool for the first day,” Niemann told reporters.
Perez reached the clubhouse at one under while Pavon finished level-par.
The Paris tournament extends golf’s short history at the Games, with the sport having returned to the program in Rio in 2016 after a century-long absence.
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