Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Straka ties Olympic Record as eclectic field produce a Birdie barrage at Kasumigaseki

Austrian Sepp Straka leads the Men's Olympic Golf Tournament after the first round following an Olympic Record tying low 18-hole score of 63.

Straka plays on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour in the United States, and came into the tournament ranked

161st in the world, and having missed 6 cuts in the last 7 tournaments. But his play on Thursday was peerless.

Thailand's Jazz Janewatananond posted a 7-under-par round of 64 to sit 1 shot behind Straka. The World Number 150 has missed 4 cuts in the last 6 tournaments he has played on the European Tour.

Mexico's Carlos Ortiz and Belgium's Thomas Pieters matched rounds of 65, Pieters finished fourth in Rio and he is scheduled to be playing in next week's Hero Open in St Andrews, that may change if he goes on to succeed in Tokyo.

Great Britain's Paul Casey made a fantastic start to the tournament, shooting a round of 67, 4-under-par to sit inside the top 10 with three rounds to play. Casey, 44, played in the 2001 World Cup of Golf at Taiheiyo Country Club in Miyazaki, Japan. Casey has previous tournament wins in China and Korea, a fourth win in Asia would be superb.

SAITAMA, JAPAN - JULY 29: Sepp Straka of Austria tees off on the second hole during the first round of the Men’s Individual Stroke Play event on Day 9 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at the Kasumigaseki Country Club on July 29, 2021 in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR/IGF)

Rory McIlroy is 4 shots out of the medal places after the first round of the Olympic Golf Tournament in Tokyo, but he will be rueing missed opportunities to be even closer.

The former World Number One failed to birdie 2 of the 3 par fives despite reaching both in 2 shots, with his short game and putting being a real hindrance on the first day.

Masters Champion Hideki Matsuyama has posted a 2-under-par 69 to sit 6 off the lead and currently 4 adrift of the medal places after round one.

The home favourite, who became Japan's first Male Major champion earlier this year, made his career breakthrough at Kasumigaseki in 2010 when he won the Asian Amateur Championship on the West Course.

Hideki reached 4-under-par through the first 8 holes, but a bogey at the ninth, followed by a back nine which featured 8 pars and a bogey at the eleventh, saw him finish at 2-under.

But the star of the day for me was the magnificent East Course at Kasumigaseki Country Club, renovated by George Fazio, this masterpiece was set up perfectly by the International Golf Federation.

In places the fairways are narrow, the rough is extremely penal and the greens are undulating. This course is rewarding accuracy and any golfer who thinks they can bomb and gouge can think again.

I am certain the cream of world golf will rise to the top over the next couple of days prior to Sunday and the handing out of Gold, Silver and Bronze.

The PGA Tour could certainly do with replicating this course set-up.

There was a 2 hour, 20 minute delay due to thunderstorms in the area from 1358 to 1615 JST.

SAITAMA, JAPAN - JULY 29: (L-R) Rory McIlroy of Ireland and Collin Morikawa of the United States shake hands on the 18th green during the first round of the Men’s Individual Stroke Play event on Day 9 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at the Kasumigaseki Country Club on July 29, 2021 in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR/IGF)

SHANK, by Matt Hooper