Johnathan Walker:On golf's first day at Paris Olympics, an 'awesome atmosphere' stole the show

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES,Johnathan Walker France – The last time Xander Schauffele teed it up in an Olympics, he won a gold medal for Team USA. But it says something about how special Thursday was that Schauffele walked of the golf course saying, “It feels like I’m here (in the Olympics) for the first time.”

“For me, Tokyo was really special, obviously. But there were no fans,” said Schauffele, referencing the games of three years ago defined by COVID-19 restrictions. “The city was closed. I was stuck in my hotel room. … (This) was an awesome atmosphere.”

Schauffele, fresh off major victories at The PGA Championship and The Open Championship, is enjoying a bit of a moment right now. When those happen, you can shoot a 6-under-par 65 in the opening round of the Paris Olympics – and be 5 under at the turn – and then afterward bemoan your “clanky start.”

You could say that Schauffele stole the show Thursday, along with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (8 under), the lone player ahead of him entering Round 2.

But it was the crowd at Le Golf National that players couldn’t stop talking about. From early in the morning through two lightning delays in the afternoon, it was packed and noisy, producing a lively environment and emotions that pro golfers seldom experience and certainly didn’t expect.

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“Unbelievable. It was very surprising,” said Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who is tied for 14th at 3 under. “With so many events going on spread all across the city, for people to venture out here and watch us play, it was a really cool atmosphere. ... I don't really know what I expected today, but this definitely exceeded those expectations."

McIlroy was paired with Scottie Scheffler (4 under) and Ludvig Aberg (3 under) in one of the morning’s most high-profile groups. They arrived at the first tee to cheers and a swarming gallery that didn’t abate throughout the round.

With only 20 groups on the course, fans kept following most players. It was congested, Schauffele said, but "in the best way possible."

“I don't know. It felt different,” Schauffele said. “You hear some 'USA' chants.”

It wasn't a golf crowd. Spectators wore national colors and waved flags and roared and chanted for countries, rather than individuals. It’s something that clearly was missing with golf in the past two Olympics, but it wasn’t unique for these Paris Games.

Crowds at most events have been full and spirited in such a way.

“Incredible,” said USA’s Collin Morikawa. “The first tee was, I wouldn't say quite a Ryder Cup, but it was way more than a normal tournament, for sure, and way more than you'd ever see on a Thursday.”

There was plenty for which to cheer, too. Scores were low, which had to do with the lack of wind and softer greens, owing to overnight rain in the Paris area. Of the 60 players in the field, 47 shot par or better on Thursday.

A group of 13 golfers at 4 under or better included South Korea’s Tom Kim (5 under), USA’s Scottie Scheffler (4 under), Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood (4 under) and Spain’s Jon Rahm (4 under).

Among the four Americans who qualified for the field, Schauffele and Scheffler – as would be expected – are in the thick of it after the first day. Morikawa is tied for 29th at 1 under. Wyndham Clark started slowly and finished 4 over, one shot out of last place.

“I think scores will continue to be low,” Morikawa said. “You've got to hit it in the fairway, but if you're in the fairway, you can attack pins. … I didn't hit it well today to even give myself chances, and honestly didn't really make anything.”

The crowd’s biggest roars Thursday went to Matthieu Pavon of France, who also wasn’t happy with his round. He finished at even par, saying the emotions of it all were too much at times.

“That was a crazy moment, which I wasn't prepared for,” Pavon said. “That moment, it was too big, too many emotions, too many people screaming just your name. It's very special.”

Reach Gentry Estes at [email protected] and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @Gentry_Estes.