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Gunn relishing chance to play at Olympics

PoslaťNapísal: Pia 25. Jún 2021 5:45:32
od mahrez26
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Thai golfer Gunn Charoenkul says his appearance in this summer's Olympics will, surprisingly, mark the first time he has represented his country and that he plans to "aim high" and finish on the podium with a medal.

"During the early part of my career, when I was 16 or 17 years old, I สมัคร superslot never got a chance to get into the national team. So, this is the first time," he said this week, after finishing in 52nd place on the final Olympic rankings with the top 60 qualifying for Tokyo 2020.

The 29 year old, who plays on both the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), admitted that he barely looked at the Olympic rankings at tournaments each week as he tried to maintain his focus and keep his position in the top 60.

"I felt the pressure, and I think that's partly why I did not perform well in the past eight events. I tried not to think about it too much, tried not to think about my world ranking which determines one's Olympic position," he said.

"My goal is to win one of the medals, they are the only prize. You have to aim high, even though the top players are going to be there."
Gunn, who will be joined at the Tokyo Games by compatriot Jazz Janewattananond, is one of the seven Asian Tour players in the field.

At the Rio Olympics in 2016 -- when golf returned to the quadrennial event after an absence of 112 years -- Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat represented Thailand, with the latter impressively finishing joint fifth.

Appropriately, Gunn has been in Japan since March competing on the JGTO.
He is currently 37th on the money list, and has only missed one cut in 11 starts in the 2020/2021 season.

Despite what appears to be good performances this season, Gunn -- whose textbook golf swing is perfectly complemented by a calm demeanour -- has been disappointed with his form, which he says is partly because he is carrying an injury on his left thumb -- the unfortunate consequence of trying to hit the ball like American Bryson DeChambeau.

"I was trying to do some Bryson stuff last October. I was just trying to swing harder but the problem is my swing is really steep and the harder I swing the more I pull the head of the club, so it gets even steeper and puts a lot of strain on my thumb. I even had a shot of cortisone before my flight here in March," he said.

"I am just going at things 70 percent right now. Anything longer than a six iron I cannot swing that hard. I don't really know any therapist here. I know one but he is more like an acupuncture doctor. I went to see him over the last two weeks, and I did a couple of treatments but basically he said the best thing to do is rest."

He says he has not played Kasumigaseki Country Club, host venue for the Olympic golf event, before as they have not held events, but he has been doing some homework about the course by reading their website.