Padraig Harrington reveled in his first round of golf as an Olympian and took another swing at the “sheep-like” pros who skipped the Games.
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Fraser could have extended his overnight lead if not for three birdie putts just slipping past the hole after he birdied the third and fifth.
A neck injury, picked up earlier this week, could have forced the 44-year-old out before a ball had been hit, but nothing was stopping him from teeing up at the Olympics – unlike a host of other big name players.
With the four majors decided for this year, and…
Golf’s first gold medal in 112 years, after the sport was reintroduced to the Olympics in Rio, will be awarded on Sunday after two more rounds of play. “It’s something that I’ll look back on later in life and really appreciate, and especially for my kids to be able to say that their dad went to the Olympics, is something that’s pretty cool I think and a big part of I really wanted to come this week is for them”.
“I think completely, yeah”, said the Dubliner.
Fraser claimed nine birdies over the purpose-built Olympic course at Reserva de Marapendi to open up a three-stroke lead over Open champion Henrik Stenson and Canadian Graham DeLaet as the 60 newest and proudest Olympic athletes set the tone for a potentially epic few days’ play in Rio.
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Harrington, who said he was as nervous on the first tee as he was for his major championship debut, was followed on the course by his wife, Caroline, and their sons Paddy and Ciaran.
“You know, we got to hold it”.
Britain’s Justin Rose, who hit a hole in one on Thursday, was tied for third near the end of his round.
Hend needed 10 shots to complete the par-five hole and finished with a three-over 74. “We just have to wipe the drool off every now and then”.
“Still lower numbers than we are used to but a lot more passionate, energetic crowd”, Rose said. If not for virtually giving two shots back to the field with a bogey-par finish on the last two holes, Power could have been just outside of the medal positions. Most weeks there are 156 players and only one victor.
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“I like to goof around, but when I’m planning on my shots I need to be focused”, Stenson said on Golf Channel after he gave Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello the stink eye while he was being interviewed.
