SAITAMA – Sepp Straka became first Austrian-born player to earn his PGA Tour card in 2019. He played a bogey-free R-1 with four birdies on each side, shooting 32-31-(63). He was born in Vienna but his moved to Valdosta, Georgia, (USA) with his Austrian father and American mother when he was 14 but still stays connected to Austria. Both Sepp and his twin brother, Sam, played golf at the University of Georgia. Sam is carrying his brother’s bag at the Olympics.
Straka MTC on six of his last seven PGA Tour starts.
Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand shot a bogey-free 33-31-(64) with seven birdies on the Kasumigaseki Country Club’s East Course. The 25-year-old, currently ranked 150 in the world, won his first Asian Tour title at the 2017 Bashundhara Bangladesh Open.
Thomas Pieters of Belgium carded his 35-30-(65) with a bogey-free round which included an eagle and four birdies (three of them on back nine).
Patrick Reed, the late replacement for the USA when Bryson DeChambeautested COVID-19+, and Xander Schauffele are currently the Americans in best position. Reed shot 33-35-(68) and Schauffele shot 34-34-(68). They’re T-12 with six other players.
American Collin Morikawa (T-20) shot two-under (69) and is among 11 players six strokes off the lead. Morikawa is coming off his major victory at The Open a couple weeks ago. Justin Thomas (USA) shot (71), even par for the day and is T-41 in the field of 60 players.
Olympic Leaderboard After 18 Holes:
Sepp Straka (Austria) – 63
Jazz Janewattananond (Thailand) – 64
Thomas Pieters (Belgium) – 65
Carlos Ortiz (Mexico) – 65