Anirban Lahiri shoots his way into contention; Jazz Janewattananond just one back from the lead

The first round of Tokyo 2020 produced plenty of low scores. Sepp Straka put Austria ahead with a 63, with Janewattananond at 64. Anirban shot six birdies in his 67

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Anirban Lahiri - Mike Ehrmann - Getty Images

29 July 2021: Rain softened the East Course at the Kasumigaseki Country Club. In only its second running since returning to the Olympic fold in Rio 2016, the first day of the men’s event produced plenty of birdies and just as much excitement. Sepp Straka worked his way to the top of the leaderboard with an impressive 63. Jazz Janewattananond flew the flag for Thailand and Asia. The 25-year-old, making his debut in the Summer Games shot 7-under 64, and kept his card clean for a solid start. Anirban Lahiri made an edgy start before settling down to a promising four-under 67 with six birdies.

Udayan Mane was one-under through ten holes and looking good for a steady opener. But rain forced the players indoors and when he returned Mane stumbled to a 76 that dropped him to the bottom of the field.

Just as surprised as some may have been at reading Straka’s name at the top, the bigger surprise came in the form of Juvic Pagunsan. The Filipino shot 66 to sit in fifth place. Hideki Matsuyama, the Masters champion and a mega star in Japan, got off to a relatively sedate 69.

Hero MotoCorp supports Indian golf
Hero MotoCorp supports Indian golf

Anirban began his day with a Namaste as he was introduced to the crowd on the first tee. But there was nothing he could do to betray his nerves. The Indian endured a painful shoulder injury the last time he donned Indian colours in Rio and is eager to make amends in Tokyo. He shot his first tee shot into the rough on the right of the fairway and went on to make bogey.

But he made a smooth recovery firing four birdies in five holes coasting past the bend in just 33 strokes. Anirban made a fine birdie on the ninth finding just the spot to bend his ball left to right before sliding into the cup. He missed birdie opportunities at the 10th and 11th before conceding a bogey on the 12th. But that did little to stem his flow. Birdies on 15 and 16 helped the Indian come home to a solid four-under round of 67.

“It was good. I think I started off a little dodgy the first few holes, couldn’t get my rhythm going early. But then I settled down nicely. I think I played pretty good,” said Lahiri.

“I probably feel like I could have taken some more chances, some opportunities on the back nine I didn’t make as many birdies as I could have. But I’m playing well, so I have to build on this and as you can see already there’s a lot of opportunities if it keeps playing like this, soft, there’s not much rain today, then you have to go out there and just really be aggressive and make a lot of putts.”

Jazz Janewattananond -IGF Images
Jazz Janewattananond – IGF Image – (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR/IGF)

Anirban is optimistic about his chances this week. “I truly feel like a veteran now, because there’s pretty much nothing that I haven’t played that there is to play,” said Lahiri. “So to that extent I felt surprisingly calm and relaxed and focused on what I needed to do. So really not that much different, which is a great sign for me because I want to be able to play with that attitude through the week and play my best.”

The 34-year-old has his friend Chikkarangappa on the bag this week. And the two have known each other a long time.

“Chikka on the bag brings an air of familiarity. We have played thousands of holes together, seen each other playing at our best and whilst not being at our best,” said Lahiri. “We understand each other’s mentality. He is one of the best putters I know personally, so having him around the greens is definitiely nice. And to have the benefit of his thoughts and options is really nice. We enjoyed ourselves out there and look forward to more of it. It is an easy relationship. The hard part of it is that he is not swinging the club, so he needs to put himself in the caddies shoes.”

Jazz, like everyone else in the field is excited to be wearing the flag on his shirt. It is a far cry from playing for yourself with nothing but the sponsors insignia on your shirt for these golfers, who tend to make a solitary pursuit as professionals. But if Jazz needed some extra motivation, he found it in Panipak Wongpattanakit, who took gold in 49kg women’s taekwondo.

“Definitely it feels really good to be out there representing Thailand,” said Jazz. “That gold medal from taekwondo is still in my mind, playing that big role for sure, that remind me of why we are here playing for Thailand, playing for the country.

“I know I got really nervous at the Masters but this is almost as nervous, I think it’s almost more nervous than at the Masters pretty much. When they say Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand I’m like, oh, we got to go now. You’re not playing for yourself, you’re playing for the country, you’re playing for the medals, you’re just going for it, you’re just playing with all your heart, it’s different. You can’t win the tournament on the first day, but you can get yourself a good position for sure. So I think I did that, I put myself in a good position.”

Sweet-swinging Pagunsan, who won his first tournament in Japan earlier this year, said he was nervous and excited at the same time in negotiating his opening 66 which included six birdies against a lone bogey. “I managed my round very well, putting was very good today,” said the Filipino. “I made birdie on the first which helped. I’m so nervous. This is the first time in a long time I’m representing the country. It’s very different from a regular tournament.