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5 Things We Learned from Day 1 of the Olympics

Published

10 years ago

Aug 11, 2016

So many people were involved in the monumental effort to return golf to the Olympic Games that when Brasil’s Adilson da Silva hit the first tee ball at approximately 6:30 a.m., the twin senses of relief and anticipation were thick like fog. The home-country favorite finished at 1-over par on the day, nine strokes off the lead. Regardless of his placement, the tournament will be a success for the host nation.

We did learn five other important things on Day 1 of the Men’s Olympic Golf Tournament, and here they are.

There are plenty of birdies on the course

This is not a punitive golf course. Gil Hanse, the lead architect, hinted in pre-games convos that the course would yield low numbers. For a sport yearning to have more than a two-term run in the Summer Games, excitement and involvement are key. No one will complain about too many birdies; we all know this. Hanse knew this. Sit back and post your bets! There even might be an ace or two, right Justin Rose?

It was the first ever #Olympic hole-in-one and a day to remember for @JustinRose99! ?https://t.co/9rGBPrUgxf https://t.co/pzgCmQ4JVr

— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2016

Team USA has jetlag, or an events hangover

Or something. Scores of 69, 72, 73, 75 mean that the boys of the stars and stripes have some catching up to do. Bubba’s caddy, Ted Scott, is not in Rio for personal reasons (he doesn’t believe in medicine or vaccinations, according to the big pink driver.) If any golfers needs the stability of his regular caddy, it’s Watson, who sits at 2-over.

Patrick Reed, if anything, was probably over-pumped, leading to his 1-over score. And then there’s Rickie, for whom so much was predicted, and so little has come true. He was 4-over on the day, with gratitude to Rodolfo Cazaubon (Mexico) and Lin Wen-Tang (Chinese Taipei), the only two golfers to fare worse.

The mystical power of the Canadian Loonie should not be dismissed

In 2002, the Olympic icemaker buried a Loonie (a $1 coin) at center ice. Both of Canada’s ice hockey teams claimed gold that year. Brantford, Ontario’s Ian Andrew, a celebrated golf course architect and member of the course construction team, again called on the mystical Maple Leaf to bring good fortune to Canada’s olympic entrants. During construction, Andrew buried a coin of his own beneath the 18th green at the Olympic course in Rio. On Day 1, Graham DeLaet did the red and white proud with a 5-under 66, two off the lead.

Does the Loonie have the staying power to make magic for three more days (not to mention four days next week for the ladies?) Stay tuned.

If there were a team component (as there should be)

Belgium would be sitting pretty, along with Germany and Spain. Nearly every writer wondered aloud in print why individual medals alone would be awarded in 2016. Why not a team competition?

Thomas Pieters (67) and Nicolas Colsaerts (68) waived the Black, Yellow and Red with distinction on Day 1. Close behind were Alex Cejka (67) and Martin Kaymer (69) of Germany, and Rafael Cabrera-Bello (67) and Sergio Garcia (69) of Spain. Note to Olympic organizing committees and International Golf Foundation: golf is better when teams are involved.

What exactly does Marcus Fraser mean to the Olympics?

Fraser made nine birdies and one bogey on his way to a two-stroke lead, courtesy of his opening 63 (8-under). Fraser and Scott Hend represent the land down under, but let’s be honest: when you think Aussie golf, do you think of Adam Scott and Jason Day?

Yep, you do.

Heck, you think of Marc Leishman and Matt Jones before you think of Fraser and Hend. Those other four said “no, thanks” to Olympic invites, opening the door for Hend and Fraser. If Fraser eventually medals, we will be left to ponder whether Olympic golf recognized the best players in the world (he’s currently ranked 90th) or the ones on a roll.

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Ronald Montesano

Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

27 Comments

Pingback: Rio – Golf Events – Golf Olympia
Dave

Aug 13, 2016 at 7:01 pm

What I learned about the first day of golf NOOOOTHING what is it doing there anyway.

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Grizz01

Aug 12, 2016 at 4:15 pm

SOF is a 48, says much. Golf Channel and NBC are falling all over themselves trying to promote this as a good thing. It’s becoming very sad. Funny how they some announcer said that ‘IF’ Phil Mickelson was here he would be eating the greens up. How they were receiving a pitch and chip. THEN why isn’t Phil there??? The guy who tee’d up the first ball… a Brazilian is ranked 288… and Phil and others are not there. Very weak, week to watch golf. A player that qualified for the PGA Championship, is not at the Olympics and many who didn’t qualify for the PGA Championship are at the Olympics. Not showing the best in world is sad. Not being a team event is even worse.

Want to make this worthy of GOLD? Make it a team event. Bracket the teams. 6 players on a team. One Alternates shot group, One Best ball and a one-on-one match play (the other guy sits out until needed). That’s 3 points… so someone is going to win each round. Stay for the two weeks until its done. That is worthy of a GOLD medal. Then have a three day individual stroke play tournanment.

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2Cents

Aug 12, 2016 at 3:48 pm

In 2016, I just can’t seem to understand why everyone is still about “amateurs” vs “professionals.”

It’s a moot point now. Tell me Bolt isn’t a professional. Tell me Phelps isn’t a professional. Explain to me how these guys and gals compete year round and various events, regularly breaking tournament and world records; day in day out… and how they’re not just as good at their respective sports as the “professional” golfers, hockey, basketball players, etc.

Just because less people watch the 100m dash than they do the NBA Finals doesn’t make Bolt an “amateur.” There is literally no one faster than the man on the entire planet. “Professionals” get paid what people are willing to pay for entertainment. The masses have decided that sports provide more entertainment than gymnastics and track and field.

You better believe that if there were the same amount of interest and TV coverage that Bolt and Phelps and all the others would be getting paid the same. So what, now you stop them from going as well? I don’t know about you. But I watch to see the best in the world… Amateur, professional, child, etc… Doesn’t matter. I know the original Olympics were about “amateurs” but let’s be honest there isn’t an amateur in the 2016 Olympics and hasn’t been for some time.

These people are training from childhood. They come from poor or rich, they train day and night, year in year out. They go to every possible competition to hone their skills… That, my friends, is what professionals do. If you think any of these people are “amateurs” you’re kidding yourself. And if you think the distinction should be made on the size of their paycheques then you are diluted.

The best of the best should be competing. Period.

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mlecuni

Aug 12, 2016 at 1:17 pm

This website deserves better stories. Is it all that the editor learned from the olympic’s golf on day 1 ?

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ooffa

Aug 12, 2016 at 9:05 am

Olympic air rifle for the win.

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ooffa

Aug 12, 2016 at 8:48 am

I never thought I’d say watching someone shoot an air rifle would be more interesting then a golf tournament. But it’s happened. BTW Air Rifle is an official Olympic event. Golf is not. Embarrassing!

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Greg V

Aug 12, 2016 at 8:36 am

Zach Johnson is playing well at the Deere, which is one of my criticisms against the Olympic qualification system. How can a world championship event not include last year’s Champion Golfer of the Year?

The MAJOR championships include major winners from at least the previous 5 years.

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GGTG

Aug 12, 2016 at 8:20 am

Dalaet’s 66 was 5 under. Par is 71.

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Jim

Aug 12, 2016 at 7:55 am

I’ve never been a fan of having golf in the Olympics. Seeing the lack of people watching the event it seems that many others agree. There isn’t anyone at the event watching – I watched it this morning and there might have been a dozen spectators there, there are far more media people there than fans. The format is awful too and should have had a team element to it as well as the individual title. I guess there won’t be any further conversations about golf in the Olympics as this is really starting to look like a one and done event. On the positive side, the course looks really good.

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- Ezra
  
  Aug 12, 2016 at 10:17 am
  
  May I ask why you’re not “a fan of having golf in the Olympics”?
  Really, I don’t get it if you like golf.
  Agreed on the lacking “team element” though.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Jim
    
    Aug 12, 2016 at 11:04 am
    
    I guess I think there’s already 4 majors plus other larger tournaments so why do we need the Olympics as well. Not to mention the Ryder and Presidents Cup events. Also goes back to the amateurs vs professional athletes in the Olympics as well – maybe if it were college golfers it might be better similar to the NCAA tournament?
    
    Reply Report comment
- Eric
  
  Aug 12, 2016 at 11:45 am
  
  To me it would be far more interesting if they limited it to amateurs, as they should all Olympic events
  
  Reply Report comment
DD

Aug 12, 2016 at 7:40 am

Brantford, Ontario. Represent! Hometown of Wayne Gretzky, no less.

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Nath

Aug 12, 2016 at 6:14 am

Tools

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Jimbo

Aug 12, 2016 at 4:08 am

Two thoughts.

1) format should have been mixed foursomes. Rickie & Lexi vs Justin & Charlie Hull would have been great for elevating the women’s game, and taken some of the glare away from the notable no-shows.

2) by allowing caddies from different countries, the IOC (and golf organisers) are basically saying that caddies add no value. If the are part of the on-course team, as most would suggest they are, then how can somebody from Great Britain be actively helping somebody from Germany (Kaymer) to beat the other Brits? If the caddies were just bag carriers, then their nationality wouldn’t matter. But if they improve the on-course performance of the players during the round, as most would suggest they do, then the should be from the same country.

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- Andrew
  
  Aug 12, 2016 at 10:35 am
  
  Pretty much every olympic sport has coaches and assistants from other countries. The US gymnastics team coordinator is from Romania. Nigeria basketball’s coach is an American. China’s assistant coach is from Greece. Really nothing out of the ordinary here.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Jimbo
    
    Aug 12, 2016 at 4:42 pm
    
    Agreed entirely, hence the focus on ‘during the round’. Coaches / assistance aren’t there making decisions over each shot, or stopping their player hitting a shot if the wind changes.
    
    IMO the caddies play a bigger part than a mere bag carrier during the round itself, and so should be from the same country.
    
    Same thing with the the Nigerian example, nothing wrong with them selecting the team and tactics, but he’s not on course racking up the assists.
    
    Reply Report comment
Steve

Aug 12, 2016 at 4:07 am

Can we never again use the “x Number of Things We Learned From…” in regards to golf.

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Johnnylongballz

Aug 12, 2016 at 2:08 am

Olympic golf sucks so far. Change the format! Make it a team event with best ball, alternate shot, singles, etc. but make it stroke play. Make it different than every other regular golf week. Just my .02

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Messico Smizzle

Aug 11, 2016 at 10:48 pm

Course looks awesome. No one dying of Zika. Games safe and all competitions going well. U.S. In medal lead. Oh and we played like crap. Thanks dj and Jordan. Thanks a lot!!!!! Come on Kuch

Reply Report comment
- Jay
  
  Aug 12, 2016 at 10:01 am
  
  Zika doesn’t usually kill people, it’s pretty rare…it’s more about the birth defects it causes. Most adults show no signs of having Zika. Do a little research before attempting to be funny.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Messico Smizzle
    
    Aug 12, 2016 at 10:15 pm
    
    Thanks for the comment bro
    
    Reply Report comment
bogeypro

Aug 11, 2016 at 9:11 pm

I think more people will watch the John Deere Classic than the Olympics…. just my opinion

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- RedX
  
  Aug 11, 2016 at 11:13 pm
  
  Sure – that makes sense, especially with Na and Summerhayes being the standout ranked players in that field
  
  Reply Report comment
Zak Kozuchowski

Aug 11, 2016 at 5:49 pm

Thanks for pointing that out. It was my error, not Ron’s. The story has been corrected.

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Redx

Aug 11, 2016 at 5:41 pm

Way to go Ronald. Open the door for cheap criticism. Is that all you have to contribute, lining up a whipping boy for the trolls?

Just maybe a better line would be “What does the Olympics mean to Fraser?”
That’s more in line with the Olympic spirit

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