Paris 2024: Rory McIlroy tied 14th after first round of the men's golf, Hideki Matsuyama leads from Xander Schauffele
Published 01/08/2024 at 19:25 GMT+1
Rory McIlroy had a mixed round on the first day of action in the men’s golf at Paris 2024. McIlroy, who is representing Ireland at the Olympic Games, shot a first round of 68, finishing three-under at Le Golf National course to sit tied 14th. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama leads the way, as the 2021 Masters winner went round in eight-under par.
‘Refocus and reset for the Olympics’ - McIlroy shifts goals after missing cut at Open
Video credit: SNTV
Rory McIlroy has work to do if he is to claim his first Olympic medal with the Ireland star tied for 14th after the first round of the Paris 2024 men’s golf competition.
The four-time major winner had an up-and-down first nine, hitting a bogey on the second after finding a bunker with his tee shot before recovering with a birdie on the third and slotting home an impressive eagle on the ninth.
But he failed to find any momentum at Le Golf National, recording three birdies and three bogeys to average par on the back nine to post a 68.
In the build up to the Games, McIlroy said that winning Olympic gold would be one of the “biggest achievements” of the last decade.
But the 35-year-old, who is representing Ireland at Paris 2024, has work to do in the remaining three rounds to improve on his result from Tokyo 2020 - where he tied for third place before losing out to Pan Cheng-tsung in a seven-man playoff for bronze.
The golfer in pole position for gold after round one is Japan's Hideki Matsuyama. The 2021 Masters champion finished two clear of the rest of the pack after hitting an outstanding eight-under.
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Hideki Matsuyama of Team Japan tees off on the fourth hole during a practice round ahead of the Men's Individual Stroke Play on day four of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Le Golf National on July 30, 2024 in Paris, France.
Image credit: Getty Images
He did not put a foot wrong throughout, racing into an early lead with a purple patch between seven and 10 where he made four consecutive birdies.
Matsuyama kept things controlled throughout the back nine, adding two more birdies to complete a blemish-free round of 63.
Tokyo 2020 gold medallist and world No. 2 Xander Schauffele was the closest to Matsuyama and appeared to be giving himself the best shot at defending his title until a weather delay paused his round with two holes to go. Resuming play on hole 17, his momentum was punctured with a bogey before parring the 18th to finish on six-under.
Joaquin Niemann (CHL), Emiliano Grillo (ARG) and Tom Kim (KOR) are all tied for third on five-under.
Scheffler tied for sixth with Rahm and Fleetwood
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler got his debut Olympic Games off to a solid start, slotting home four birdies and parring the rest for a round of 67. The 2024 Masters winner is part of an eight-strong group tied for sixth, which includes Team GB’s Tommy Fleetwood and Spain’s two-time major winner Jon Rahm.
Team GB’s other entrant, Matt Fitzpatrick, had a round to forget and finished two-over. The 2022 US Open winner finds himself down in 49th.
The second round begins at 8:00am on Friday.
discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer.
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