RIO DE JANEIRO – As Australia cheered two of the game’s best players picking off a handful of high-profile tournament titles earlier this year, Marcus Fraser could only dream about representing his homeland in the Olympic Golf Tournament.
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Despite his compatriots in world number one Jason Day and former Masters champion Adam Scott choosing to bypass golf’s 112-year return to the Games, Fraser, 38, is waving the Australian flag proudly atop the leaderboard in a round that comprised of nine birdies. Day had long expressed his enthusiasm to play in the Olympics, but he also pulled out. You sense that maybe some of them would like to be here. “There’s no doubt they are missing out, that’s for sure”.
“You know, we do this for a living week-in and week-out, but there was something different about that first tee shot today”, described Delaet.
“I’ve always said that I’ve got to complete all four rounds so I can say I officially was an Olympian”, Watson told Golf Digest.
USA’s mega-rich golfers are enjoying meeting other athletes at the Rio Olympics, but they hope not to hang on the course with the world’s largest rodents or crocodile-like caimans.
In July, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy said he was unlikely to watch television coverage of the Olympic golf competition, preferring “track and field, swimming, diving, the stuff that matters”.
Now pegged at No. 5 in the world, Stenson followed up with a strong performance at the PGA Championship, where he remained in contention for three rounds before settling for a share of seventh place.
” … When I got out there morning, I feel like my speed was pretty good on the putting green”. “But that’s the nature of sport, when you’re at the top of your game, you don’t believe it’s ever going to change”.
Do you think that will happen? Hindsight says that’s not true.
The three-time Major victor looked to be really finding a rhythm at the turn as he carded a birdie either side of it to move to -2 through 10 holes. “I was definitely showing them that we’re having a good time down here”. You’d be surprised how it odes change.
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“It’s inspiring to watch fellow US athletes do well, compete, get a medal, gold, whatever it may be”, said Fowler. “So this is an awfully big deal that I’ve got an opportunity, and I’m keen to take it”. “And the caimans, I’m going to keep away from them”. There are some tough approach shots on the golf course, and some easy pin placements. “I think it exceeded everyone’s expectations”. And that’s what golf had until four months ago, when the deadline began approaching and players began bailing out for reasons ranging from the Zika virus to safety concerns to other priorities. “To manage that and go on to play the way I did is really pleasing and a big confidence boost”.
