In 2016, golf will return to the Olympics for the first time since 1904. The sport is getting a head start at the Youth Olympics, where it’s being contested for the first time in Nanjing this week.
The first rounds were played at Zhongshan International Golf Club on Tuesday. The separate men’s and women’s tournaments are three rounds each, 54 stroke-play holes total, concluding Thursday. A mixed team event takes place next week.
The fields were capped at 32 men and 32 women, maximum one man and one woman per country based off world amateur rankings. No Americans are playing.
The Youth Olympics continue with coverage on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Youth Olympics broadcast schedule
A hole-in-one highlighted the first day of golf competition.
We have the first hole-in-one in Olympic history here on day 1 @youtholympics. Canada's Tony Gil scores an ace at the 3rd hole. 7-iron 164Y.
— Olympic Golf (@OlympicGolf) August 19, 2014
“Oh really?” Gil reportedly said after being told he struck the first hole-in-one in Olympic history. “That’s very cool. It was actually the first hole-in-one in my career, too!”
Gil, 16, carded a 3-under 69 and was three shots off the Swedish and Australian men’s leaders after the first round. Four golfers -- from Chinese Taipei, Italy, Japan and South Korea -- shared the women’s lead at 3 under.
Vongjalorn of Guam hits the first shot of the girl's Youth Olympic golf competition. #golow #olympicgolf pic.twitter.com/i78Z1MEKWF
— Olympic Golf (@OlympicGolf) August 19, 2014