Back to the Golf Newsfeed

Rio's Olympic golf course debuts with cameos of wildlife (The Associated Press)

Related Topics: Golf, Adilson da Silva, Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- Golf formally returned to the Olympics on Thursday, on a course that saw its construction threatened by lawsuits aimed at protecting the nature preserve on which it was built.

The first official Olympic golf shot in 112 years was struck by Brazil's Adilson da Silva to open the round, and plenty of his countrymen were on the course as fans. It came about a year after the last of the hassles that included environmental lawsuits, land ownership disputes and doubts it even needed to be built in the first place.

''The course is good,'' said Canada's Graham Delaet, who shot 66 and is tied for second, three shots back of early leader Marcus Fraser of Australia.