He made bogey at the second after a tee shot into the bunker but birdied the next four holes.
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For all the talk about the stars who stayed home, this is just what golf needed in its return to the Olympics.
The Swede stood over a 108-foot putt on the third and did what no mere mortal could by holing it. This week golfers from around the world have been introduced to the Capybara – the largest rodent in the world (according to Wikipedia!). Belgium’s Thomas Pieters’ 5-under 66 was the second-best round of anyone on the course on Friday and he jumped up to 9 under for the tournament.
The Olympic golf competition hit a lull on Friday in Rio.
Canadian Graham DeLaet, who played in the opening group with Brazilian Adilson da Silva, sits tied for second with Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, the duo three shots behind Fraser at five-over par.
It just required a long and wild route to get into contention Friday.
Still, it was the sight of Stenson on the leaderboard that was so hard to ignore.
But this was hardly a masterpiece.
“You’re just standing there praying for a 2-putt bogey, ” he said. “I came here to give myself a chance and it looks like that way”, said the 40-year-old from Gothenburg.
“I felt like I putted very similar to yesterday”.
“There’s a lot of golf still to play”, explained Stenson. Driver went maybe 250 yards on the tee shot on the second, I hit a four wood from 220 that pitched pin high and released over the back and holed from 50 feet for birdie.
Stenson, who made an outrageous par save at the third after pulling his tee shot into water, is two off the pace following an erratic 68, while Rose compiled a steady 69 to close on six under par. “All in all, happy with that”.
It is the first time golf has been played at the Olympics in 112 years.
Then again, not even he knows what to expect out of his game. “Having such pride in your country you really want to do the best that you cannot just for the other Americans here, but everybody back home”. Rose needs to continue putting well if he is going to fend off Stenson and win gold. He may be the only thing that will keep most American golf fans from flipping over to the John Deere, too.
Quote of the day: “Mud ball, for sure”, – Watson on what happened at 14, to the delight of those on social media. The Australian caught only a little of the nasty weather, and it didn’t last long before the sun came out. He rebounded with birdies on two of his last four holes and should be confident heading into the final round. “Playing for the flag is a little bit different than playing for cash or ranking points”. If you’re not there at the halfway turn, you’ve got more to make up for the next two rounds.
Best of the rest: Rose took the outright lead with a round of 6-under 65 that featured two eagles in his first five holes.
Justin Rose of Great Britain, reacts to his shot on the 18th hole during the third round of the men’s golf event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016.
Matt Kuchar was the only one of the four Americans to finish in red numbers with a 2-under 69.
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Rickie Fowler was still near the bottom.
