The absolute, ultimate Major of all Majors

Golf made a welcome return to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.  It was more than one hundred years ago, back in 1904, that the last Olympic Golf Championship had taken place.  In 2016, British golfer Justin Rose did our country proud as he flew home proudly grasping the Gold Medal which he had won with a score of 16-under par, 268 on the Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro.

 

Tomorrow, 29 July 2021, the first round of the 2021 Olympics tees-off at Kasumigazeki Country Club with Englishmen Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood representing GB.  Well, I say, tomorrow but with the earlier than us time difference with Japan then they are actually playing on Wednesday evening.

 

The Olympics was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic safety restrictions last year.  With trepidation the Japanese have decided to go ahead this year.  So who do Casey and Fleetwood have to look out for?

 

Englishmen in good company

 

Casey has a good flight.  He is playing with Justin Thomas (USA) and Joaquin Niemann from Chilli on day one.  Fleetwood is playing with American Patrick Reed and the 2020 Open Champion Irishman Shane Lowry.  But they also have to contend with the likes of newly-crowned Open Champion Collin Morikawa (USA) and the Japanese player, Hideki Matsuyama, who became the first ever oriental Masters Champion at Augusta National, USA in the Spring.

 

Alas, Holland is not represented in Japan this year as the rules of entry only allow for the best 100 ranked players in the world.  Players like Joost Luiten, who played in 2016, will have to ensure his ranking improves for 2024.

 

The 4-day men’s tournament, which does not include a halfway cut, concludes on Sunday, 1 August.  The ladies event runs from 4 to 7 August and includes Anne van Dam for Holland, and Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Melissa Reid for England.

 

Just a week before the Olympics began, the organisers announced that all sporting activities would be taking place without public attendance due to COVID-19 safety rules.  The official teams, and the handful of fans who’ll be supporting the guys and girls outside the sport centres and clubs, will have to cheer their stars to success.

 

Enjoy and good luck everyone!

 

Wendy Hoad

 

 

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: 2016 Gold Medal winner at the Rio Olympics, British golfer Justin Rose.