Morning report from Team Ireland on Day Six of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
JULY 29th, 2021: Golf gets underway in Tokyo.
GOLF
The Men’s Individual Stroke Play got underway this morning in Tokyo, with Rory McIlroy representing Team Ireland at Kasumigaseki County Club. At 2pm local time though, play was suspended due to lightning in the area and players are currently awaiting news of when play can resume.
At the time, McIlroy was playing his 14th hole and was tied for 30th on 1-under par. An opening pair of birdies were followed by a bogey on the par 4 6th. The 4-time major champion then birdied the 11th but dropped another shot on 12 due to short-siding his approach shot and failing to get up and down.
After a two-hour delay due to lightning in the area, play resumed at 4.15pm local time, where McIlroy was playing the 14th hole.
Despite a missed birdie opportunity on the restart, McIlroy bounced back with another on 15 before closing out his opening round of 69, 2-under par. Now officially an Olympian, he has had time to reflect on what that means to him and for golf generally.
“It felt pretty good,” he reflected. “As a golfer, when golf first got into the Olympics I had a feeling of what it would mean for the game – but you get a different feeling and perspective once you’re here, and it’s cool. Our sport is so new that you have to put yourself in a position to think further down the line. I think the Olympics in 20 or 30 years’ time is going to be on a par with the Majors we play.”
The last three events that McIlroy has played have been in vastly different conditions to Tokyo where there is high humidity and heat, but McIlroy doesn’t feel this will affect his game.
“I prefer these conditions than what we faced in Scotland and The Open. I’m more comfortable in these conditions. I live in the States and am used to the heat, but it has been a long day, just with delays and the heat, so I’m looking forward to getting back, getting some food, get into bed and doing it all again tomorrow.”
McIlroy begins his second rounds tomorrow from 00:25am Irish time.
Team GB athlete news
TRAP SHOOTING
Kirsty Hegarty insisted there was no regrets after she failed to make the women’s trap shooting final in Tokyo. Hegarty shot 116 to finish 16th and will now reset her focus on the mixed team event, where she’ll compete for Matt Coward-Holley.
ROWING
Rebecca Shorten, Hannah Scott and Rebecca Edwards emerged from their Olympic debuts with mixed feelings.
There was heartbreak for Shorten’s women’s four who held a podium position for the majority of their race but faded and missed the medals by more than a second.
Shorten, Harriet Taylor, Rowan McKellar and Karen Bennett made a fast start from lane one but were caught by Ireland in the final throes.
They ended 1.06 short of the Olympic podium and a full five seconds behind the Australian boat who won gold in 6:15.37, an Olympic best time.
MEN’S HOCKEY
Men’s Hockey team have reached the quarter finals
A late brace preserved Team GB’s men a precious 2-2 Olympic hockey draw with Netherlands in Tokyo, seeing them through to the quarter-finals.
Highlights can be seen here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/olympics/58008599
More updates to follow on Team GB & Team Ireland.
