The men’s golf competition is underway at Le Golf National with France’s Victor Perez splitting the fairway on the opening shot.
Here’s a look at some of the notable action from the first of four rounds for the field of 60, with an estimated 25,000 fans in attendance.
Hideki Matsuyama shoots 63 to set the pace
Japan’s Matsuyama just missed a medal in his home-country Olympics three years ago, losing in a seven-way playoff for bronze.
He’s in great shape to atone this week.
Matsuyama made eight birdies in his first 14 holes and then cruised in with pars for an 8-under 63. He hit 11 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens in regulation; no surprise for one of the game’s best ball-strikers. His putter, which isn’t always an asset, was working as well as he made 113 feet of putts.
Pre-tournament favorite Alex Noren off to good start
Alex Noren was a popular pick to medal, given his recent form — a tie for 10th at the Scottish Open and a tie for 13th at The Open Championship — and the fact that he won the 2018 French Open at Le Golf National and earned the clinching point at the ’18 Ryder Cup on the same course.
The Swede didn’t disappoint on Day 1, shooting 4-under 67 to sit four shots off the early pace.
The first group has posted
Matthias Schmid was a co-leader through 14 holes but fell five off the pace by the time he signed his card. The German birdied Nos. 10, 11, 13 and 14 to reach 6 under, before spinning his approach shot on the par-4 15th into the water. He made double bogey and then finished with a bogey at No. 18.
Playing alongside Schmid, Perez rallied for a 1-under 70. With constant chants of, “Alliez! Alliez!” during his round, the Frenchman made three birdies over his final four holes to finish in the red.
“It was a bit, ‘fake it until you make it,'” Perez said. “I was over par and [the fans] were like, ‘You’re doing great!’ And I was like, ‘I’m not really doing great.’ … I was able to put on a good back nine and still salvage the day to stay in somewhat of a decent position.”
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.