Ryo Ishikawa is determined to fight hard to obtain the slot for the Tokyo Olympics Representative slot. At this moment, it may seem to be quite impossible, but Ryo is eager to make it happen. Ryo's esteem to do so showed today as he made his first round of the year with 3 birdies and a bogey to score 69.
"I am glad that I did start out the tournament well. I gave myself a chance to be in the winner's circle."

Ryo sits at 83rd on the WR, following Shugo Imahira on 33rd, and Hideki Matsuyama at 21st.
Only 2 spots are provided for Olympics Representatives, and to make himself to be in one of them, Ryo really needs to make a great start from the beginning of this season.

Ryo is grouped with Justin Rose, the Gold Medalist from 2016 Rio, and the Defending Champion of this tournament Jazz Janewattananond.
"Both players play beautiful golf, I just don't admire them, I envy them. But I must do my best golf and try to beat them by score."

On Day 1 Jazz finished with 4 under and Justin with 3 under, so Ryo couldn't match them with the score, but he hasn't given up at all saying, "I want to play better to beat them by score tomorrow".