Tokyo (AFP)
The talented American Collin Morikawa, in the land of his ancestors, and the Japanese Hideki Matsuyama, local star, will be from Thursday the headliners of the Olympic golf tournament at the Tokyo Games where the women's field will be higher, with the 14 best female players in the world.
The dreaded Covid-19, which led the Japanese authorities to impose a closed session on the vast majority of Olympic competitions, upset the situation a few days before the "tee time", given Thursday on the gigantic course of 7,447 yards (6,800 meters) from Kasumigaseki Country Club.
A few hours apart, on Saturday, the American Bryson DeChambeau, 6th player in the world, and the Spaniard Jon Rahm, N.1 in the world since his recent coronation at the US Open, were forced to forfeit, after being tested positive.
Suddenly, the event lost two of its most serious contenders for the gold medal, knowing that several other renowned players, such as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen, had given up coming to Japan to favor the North American PGA Tour.
Under these conditions, two players stand out from the crowd, not only by their talent and recent exploits, but by their indirect or direct membership in Japan, a country keen on golf if there is one.
- First sacred Japanese -
24 years old and world No.3, Collin Morikawa is the new star of the greens.
Last year he was revealed to the world by winning the PGA Championships in San Francisco and has just won a second Major, the British Open.
Each time, it was his first participation in these tournaments.
In Japan, the country where his family is from, he will also try to make his Olympic debut a success, but under the American banner, with his compatriots Justin Thomas (world No.4), Xander Sc Chaudele (No.5) and Patrick Reed (12th) as rivals. ).
Hideki Matsuyama, him, does not truste the top of the world ranking (20th).
But at 29, he has been a hero in his country since his unexpected coronation at the Augusta Masters in April, where he became the first Japanese in history to triumph in a Grand Slam tournament.
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- Korda and the South Koreans -
He had also received congratulations from Tiger Woods, who had hailed "the impact of this historic success on the world of golf as a whole".
Recovering since the car accident in which he broke his right leg in February, the "Tiger" will obviously miss the call from Tokyo where he was not sure of qualifying anyway, since he had to be one of the top four Americans in the world ranking.
In his absence, the Irish Rory McIlroy (N.15), four-time Grand Slam winner, will be another big name to follow, even if he was not excited about the idea of competing in the Games.
"I'm not sure what to expect. There isn't much else to do in Tokyo other than spend twelve hours a day golfing," he said on leaving the British. Open where he hardly shone (46th).
Among the women, the competition promises to be fierce from next Thursday, a week after the men, since the Top 10 will be in contention, starting with the American world No. 1 Nelly Korda, winner of the last USPGA, followed by a group provided by South Koreans: Jin Young Ko (N.2), Inbee Park (N.3) Olympic title holder, Sei Young Kim (N.4) and Hyo Joo Kim (N.5).
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In the midst of this constellation of female golf stars, the French Céline Boutier and Perrine Delacour will have a lot to do.
Ditto among the men for Romain Langasque and Antoine Rozner.
© 2021 AFP