History boy Rose cards first ever Olympic hole in one
Cheers and smiles all round on golf’s return
ONLY in the fullness of time will we learn about what golf can do for the Olympics. But what was abundantly clear here on a marvellous first day to mark the end of the 112-year exile was what the Olympics can do for golf.
This was the sport as we have not seen it before with the followers from 34 nations stretched over 250 acres, walking with their favourites and creating a vibrant atmosphere.
We even had a moment of history to mark the occasion, and how appropriate that it should be delivered by Team GB’s Justin Rose, with the first Olympic hole in one.
The arch-enthusiast for golf’s inclusion had been afforded a lovely reception on the first tee and just four holes later he rewarded those who followed his progress in person with the perfect seven iron to a flag stationed 182 yards away.
‘Where the flag was positioned I couldn’t tell if the ball had gone in or fallen off the back of the green but the crowd’s reaction certainly answered that one,’ said Rose, who finished the day tied fourth after a four-under-par 67. ‘That’s a little bit of history that no-one will ever be able to take away from me. The first to do anything always feels good.’
What a pleasant surprise after all the stories of low attendances at these Games to find sizeable pockets of supporters with each group and making their feelings known with each holed putt.
‘I can’t remember the last time I went into a locker room and saw so many players with smiles on their faces,’ said Irishman Padraig Harrington. And that was reflected on the course as well.
What about the hatless Sergio Garcia, partying like it was 1999. Remember the Spaniard we all fell in love with that year, the one who skipped and jumped along fairways with a joyous exuberance? Here was a reincarnation as he chatted to the fans, gave balls away to the young kids, and generally looked like he was having the time of his life.
In a lovely touch of remembrance his caddie Glen Murray was wearing a blue and white ribbon, the favourite colours of Seve Ballesteros, who was such a passionate advocate for golf in the Olympics. Garcia and Murray did the great man proud.
The first day of any other tournament and you could fit the spectators watching Joost Luiten into a taxi. Here, the man from Holland found a tribe of orangeclad fans greeting his every shot with raucous cheers or anguished groans.
Mind you, that went for every group. Instead of vast hordes snaking along with the star names as we see at a normal event, here there was no player who walked alone, or close to it.
So what that so many who came were not fully versed with the game’s etiquette. My favourite moment in this regard came when Danny Willett shouted ‘Fore!’ off the 10th tee and a fan just 50 yards away ducked and sheltered under his British flag. He giggled when a more knowledgeable fan pointed out that a bad shot for Willett is troubling the gallery 300 yards away, not 50.
Stretched over 18 holes were any number of athletes from other sports who had come to cheer on their countrymen. ‘I’ve seen gymnasts, swimmers, stars of track and field, just so many walking around and I can’t tell you how good that is to see,’ said Paul McGinley, manager of Team Ireland.
I was 300 yards away walking with Willett when an enormous roar went up from the far end of the course. Suddenly, a speck in the distance turned out to be a British flag and it was being waved manically. Viva Rose, with the shot he will remember for a lifetime.
As for the refuseniks who snubbed this momentous day, what on earth must they be thinking? ‘Honestly, I feel sorry for them,’ said Harrington, a sentiment backed up by Willett. ‘They’ve missed out on so much,’ he agreed.
Listen to German Martin Kaymer, a man who has won two majors and holed the winning putt at a Ryder Cup but who declared: ‘This has already been the best week of my life. This is like going back to when we took up the game, with this purity and no money at stake.’
As for the names on the leaderboard, Australian Marcus Fraser took full advantage of his early tee time to post a fabulous 63 and earn himself a three-stroke lead.
Just as good in terms of quality, however, were the rounds of 67 and 66 delivered by Rose and The Open champion Henrik Stenson, since they came late in the day in the teeth of a 25mph wind. Both look like men on a mission to leave here with a medal of some hue.
Kaymer and Garcia both shot 69s and Harrington carded a 70. As for Willett, he dropped a couple of late shots for a 71.
This was a day, therefore, that surpassed even the most wildly optimistic expectation. To be honest, I thought I’d be describing a soulless calamity and instead enjoyed perhaps the best opening day seen all year.
A day you might say when the Royal and Ancient game learned for the first time all about the power and the magic of the five rings.