Of the men's golf tours in the United States, the only tournament to be held in Japan began in Inzai City, Chiba Prefecture, and Hideki Matsuyama, who won this tournament last year, got off to a late start with 1 over and a 41st place start.
Matsuyama, who is aiming for consecutive victories, won the gold medal at last year's Tokyo Olympics and played in the first round in the same group as American Xander Shuffle, whose mother was born and raised in Japan.
Mr. Matsuyama, who started at the beginning, missed the 11th shot of par 4, the second shot over the green, and even after that, he could not put it on the green and made a bogey.
He made a one-on shot at the par-3 13th and scored a putt to get his first birdie of the day, but he bogeyed the par-4 17th and finished the first half with one over.
In the second half, at the 3rd par 3, he hit the tee shot near the pin and made a birdie, but he hit a bogey at the 4th par 4. I got off to a late start.
Matsuyama changed his mind, saying, ``It was raining and it was a tough round.
Schaffrey, who is in the same group as Matsuyama, finished 6th at 3 under par.
Among the main Japanese players, Kazuki Higa, who won his first major in Japan this season and is currently ranked No. Keita Nakajima, a college student who will be in the competition, is 29th with 5 birdies and 5 bogeys.
American Brendan Steele is leading at 6 under par.