Encouraging start for Fox

Golfer Ryan Fox opened his Olympics in style today. The Aucklander shot a four under par 67 to be near the leaders after the first round.

Fellow New Zealander Daniel Hillier didn’t fare as well, carding a 4 over par 75 and will have his work cut out getting back into the tournament.

Fox, 37, is in his third Olympics, after placing 39th in Rio and 42nd in Tokyo.

He began well with birdies on the third, sixth and ninth holes. There were further birdies on the 11th and 14th holes, before his only blemish, a bogey on the 16th.

Fox said he was very happy with his round, especially after his previous Olympic experiences. “I’ve managed to play my way out of the tournament over the first couple of rounds in previous Games, so this was very pleasing,” he said.

“Any time you break 70 on this course you have to be happy, and it all went pretty well today, except maybe a three-putt on 16 and a couple of scruffy shots that didn’t cost me any strokes.”

Fox said he loved the atmosphere. “Around the first couple of holes especially there were a lot of people and that atmosphere was pretty cool, not a normal golf crowd. It was great to be part of that experience.”

Hillier had a strange round. The 26-year-old made a nightmare beginning with a bogey-double bogey-bogey opening three holes, but he steadied the ship after that and went out in 40. On the homeward nine, he carded three birdies and seemed back on track until he finished with a bogey on 16 and a double bogey on 18.

The Wellingtonian described his Olympic debut as a special day, even though he didn’t get the start he was after.

“I was able to claw back a few, but then dropped three strokes near the end, so that was disappointing.

“It was a bit of a battle all day. I just didn’t quite feel right physically. Still there’s a long way to go and I’m hoping for better over the next few days.”

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