TOKYO - On a day when temperatures that soared to the mid 30s Celsius had golfers seeking shade under trees and sent his own coach in the clinic, Bianca Pagdanganan used an ice pack and a good ol' pamaypay to cool down.
Ironically, the ice pack and pamaypay, adorned with the national colors of red, white, and blue, helped fan a fiery start that enabled Pagdanganan to stay close to the leaders after the first round of the Tokyo Olympics' women's golf competition.
"It's really hot out there," Pagdanganan said, moments after a two-under par 69 at the Kasimugaseki Golf Club in Saitama put her in a tie for seventh, just three shots out of the lead held by Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden.
Soaring temperatures that sent Yuka Saso's caddie Lionel Matichuck to the hospital for a heat stroke during a practice round on Tuesday never let up, forcing former world jungolf champion Carito Villaroman to seek treatment in a clinic for dehydration.
Villaroman is here in his capacity as Pagdanganan's coach.
Aside from the heat, atropical storm is approaching, and the current forecast is for a 70% chance of heavy rain on Saturday, a slighter higher chance on Sunday. The competition must finish by Sunday when the Olympics close.
Heather Daly-Donofrio, an International Golf Federation technical delegate in charge of the women's competition, said players have been informed about the possibility of a 54-hole event.
That depends on the weather, and a decision likely won't be made until after the second round at the earliest. The extreme heat ruled out any thought of playing 27 holes apiece over the next two days because of player health.
Staying cool with an ice pack and fan in between shots, Pagdanganan, 23, birdied the first two holes to get her momentum going then kept her focus when the heat started to bear down on the 60-woman field.
Two birdies against one bogey in her last five holes - including a near ace on the 16th - put her in a share of seventh place with eight others, including LPGA winners Inbee Park of Korea and American Danielle Kang.
Yuka Saso struggles
In contrast, Saso went the other way with national coach Miggy Alejandro on her big in place of Matichuck went the other way.
Struggling with the type of grass in the layout as well as in the greens, the reigning US Women's Open champion stumbled with an early bogey on No. 2, steadied herself in mid-round only to slump with successive bogeys from the 16th.
That left her with a three-over par 74 and in joint 47 place, with plenty of ground to make up heading to the next three rounds.
The ICTSI-backed Saso, however, hardly sounded flustered after the round.
"Just got to play better," the Fil-Japanese said. - With reports from AP
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