Pagunsan launches Olympic quest
The weight to deliver the country’s first gold now off his shoulders, Juvic Pagunsan can now focus solely on the very mission every Olympian would want to accomplish as men’s golf action finally gets under way at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama Thursday.
But the next four days would be like no other for the Filipino ace who faces one of the toughest casts in a long career.
It’s a dream come true to be an Olympian.
Sure, the final 60-player roster does not include a number of stars and other big names who had opted out or got sidelined by coronavirus.
Three of the top 10 in the current world rankings — all Americans — headline the cast: Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele.
Throw in Bryson DeChambeaue replacement Patrick Reed, four-time major winner Rory McIlroy of Ireland, world No. 11 Viktor Hovland of Norway and Japanese Hideki Matsuyama who will be playing on the same course where he won the Asia-Pacific Amateur 11 years ago.
South Korea’s Sungjae Im and Si-Woo Kim are also going all out since a medal could exempt them from mandatory military service.
The Tokyo Games were moved a year later due to pandemic.
“It’s a dream come true to be an Olympian,” said Pagunsan, who launches his drive alongside Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti at 10:58 a.m. on the first hole of the par-71, 7,466-yard East course.
“The end goal is to win the gold,” said Morikawa, the reigning British Open champion.
“But what the Olympics represent are lots of memories and representing your country is one of the biggest honors. It really means a lot.”
Pagunsan skipped the British Open to prepare for the Olympics and spend time with his family during a brief trip back home.
The absence of a number of stars is welcome news for the rest of the field, particularly for the lesser lights, including Pagunsan, who can pull off a surprise.
Meanwhile, women’s play will start on Aug. 4 with reigning US Women’s Open champion and world No. 8 Yuka Saso and ICTSI teammate and fellow LPGA campaigner Bianca Pagdanganan battling a far tougher cast of rivals, led by the rest of the Top 10 in the world rankings.
There are high hopes for the Filipino golfers, particularly Saso, who has beaten practically the same Olympic field in the US Women’s Open.