Brazil's Nagl to tee off first in women's golf return
Brazil's Miriam Nagl will hit the first Olympic golf shot by a woman since 1900 on Wednesday while world number one Lydia Ko begins her quest for gold in the final group. Pairings for the first two rounds of the Rio Olympic women's golf tournament were released Monday with Nagl being accorded the same honour as compatriot Adilson da Silva in the men's event, the host nation heroes making historic tee shots marking golf's return. Golf had not been played in the Olympics since 1904 in St. Louis when men's team and individual events were staged. But the only prior women's Olympic event was a nine-hole tournament at Paris in 1900 won by American Margaret Abbott, the first US woman to win Olympic gold. Nagl will be joined in the opening group at 7:30 a.m. (1030 GMT) by Malaysia's Kelly Tan and Ireland's Leona Maguire, one of three amateurs in the field of 60 for the 72-hole stroke-play event. New Zealand teen star Ko will tee off in Wednesday's last group alongside Britain's 27th-ranked Charley Hull and Sweden's 11th-ranked Anna Nordqvist. "We're all going to have a good time," Ko said. "It's fun us golfers can be among these other great athletes. It celebrates each athlete and their countries." The 19-year-old, who moved from South Korea as a child and became a New Zealand citizen at age 12, won her first major title at last year's Evian Championship. She captured her second major in April at the ANA Inspiration, one of five titles Ko has won this year. The group in front of Ko will also be one to watch, with Thailand's second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn joined by seventh-ranked American Stacy Lewis and South Korea's sixth-ranked Kim Sei-Young. The last group in Thursday's second round and 10th trio in round one will be a showcase triumverate as well featuring third-ranked Canadian teen Brooke Henderson, fourth-ranked American Lexi Thompson and Norway's Suzann Pettersen, who was among those championing golf's case to the International Olympic Committee for inclusion in Rio. South Korea's fifth-ranked Park In-Bee is in the group just ahead of that alongside Spain's Azahara Munoz and American Gerina Piller. Maguire will have twin sister Lisa as her caddie, just as she did when she shared 25th at last month's British Women's Open. "It's a dream come true and I aim to enjoy every single moment," Maguire said. "To have my sister as caddie, and being able to share the experience with her, is extra special." Other amateurs in the field include Swiss Albane Valenzuela, who plays along Taiwan's Teresa Lu and Norway's Marianne Skarpnord in Thursday's first group of the day, and Hong Kong's Tiffany Chan, who will be joined by Brazil's Victoria Lovelady and Swiss Fabienne In-Albon at 8:41 a.m. Wednesday.
