Hole in shoe helps South Africa's Buhai to get second-best score in Paris

GUYANCOURT, France : After posting the second best score on the first day of the Olympic women's golf tournament on Wednesday, South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai gave credit to a hole in her left shoe for helping her to put recent injury troubles behind her.

Buhai, who claimed a first major title at the Women's British Open in 2022, struggled with a back injury earlier this year before breaking her toe during the Women's PGA Championship in June.

Her physiotherapist came up with the idea of cutting a hole to avoid her damaged toe rubbing against the inside of the shoe and the improvised technique has proved beneficial.

"It's still hurting, and obviously I've got a hole in the shoe, so that's what has helped me," Buhai said after her first round at Le Golf National near Paris.

The 35-year-old shot a four-under-par 68 to put her three strokes behind home star Celine Boutier after the opening round in the four-day tournament.

That came despite limited practice on the course after her golf luggage was delayed.

"It hasn't been the best run for me, and then my golf bag yesterday, I was like, can we get a break?," she said.

"I said, something has to turn eventually, and obviously today it was just great to be able to play and be back up and doing this."

Paris is the second Games for Buhai, who played in Rio when golf returned to the Olympic stage after a century but chose not to go to Tokyo amid the COVID pandemic.