Paris 2024 Olympics golf: Shubhankar Sharma placed T29 on rain-hit opening day

India’s Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar finished the first round of the men’s golf competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics in T29 and T56 positions, respectively.

Both Indian golfers are making their Olympic debuts.

Competing at the Golf National on a rain-affected day, Shubhankar carded a 1-under 70 to be tied in 29th place with 12 other players. The former Asia No. 1 Indian golfer started well with an eagle and two birdies in the front nine. However, three bogeys in the back nine pushed the 36-year-old, a former Asian Games silver medallist, down the standings.

The men’s event will see 60 golfers compete over four days in four rounds, with each round consisting of 18 holes.

Bhullar finished 4-over 75 on the opening day, hitting two bogeys upfront and a quadruple bogey on the par-4 seventh hole. He still has three rounds to recover as there are no cuts in the field for golf at the Olympics.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who lost in a play-off for the bronze at Tokyo 2020, took an early lead with a bogey-free 8-under 63.

Matsuyama was followed by the defending Olympic champion Xander Schauffele of the USA, who hit a 6-under 65. Tom Kim of the Republic of Korea, Chile’s Joaquim Niemann and Argentina’s Emilio Grillo were tied for third with 5-under 66 each.

Indian women golfers Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok will tee off at the same venue from August 7. Aditi Ashok, an Asian Games silver medallist, narrowly missed a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, finishing fourth.

Golf featured in the Olympic program in 1900 and 1904 but was dropped from the itinerary after that. The sport made a return at Rio 2016 and has been part of the Olympics since.

India’s best finish in the men’s golf event at the Olympics is T42 by Anirban Lahiri, recorded at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games.