Philippines’ Juvic Pagunsan watches his drive from a tee in round 1 of the mens golf individual stroke play during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe on July 29, 2021. (Photo by YOSHIHIRO IWAMO / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines—Juvic Pagunsan had a solid start, going 5-under-par in the first round of the men’s individual golf competition of the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday at Kasumigaseki Country Club.
A three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, Pagunsan is a seasoned professional in the Asian scene and mainly plays in the Japan Golf Tour and his familiarity with the country’s climate helped him to a string start.
The first round was delayed by more than an hour due to lightning.
Pagunsan kicked off with a birdie at No. 1 and added two more against a single bogey in his front nine. He picked up his pace at the back, adding three more birdies coming home for his 66.
Philippines’ Juvic Pagunsan (L) walks with his caddie in round 1 of the mens golf individual stroke play during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe on July 29, 2021. (Photo by YOSHIHIRO IWAMO / AFP)
Austria’s Sepp Straka led after the first round as he went 8-under-par (63) while Thailand’s Jazz Janewattanond was a shot back.
Thomas Pieters of Belgium and Carlos Ortiz of Mexico were a stroke further behind with identical 65s while Denmark’s Joachim Hansen and Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas tied Pagunsan at fifth.
The second round of the men’s individual stroke play is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 am (Manila time) with Pagunsan’s tee time at 8:03.