Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Rickie Fowler made a sizzling start while South African Jaco van Zyl fired the second ace in Olympic history in Saturday’s third round of the Rio Games golf tournament.
Eighth-ranked Fowler was seven under through 11 holes in ideal conditions, with four birdies and a sensational eagle on the front nine and a birdie to open the back nine.
The American was still well back of Australian leader Marcus Fraser, the world number 90 who stood on 10-under par 132 and was set to tee off alongside fifth-ranked British Open champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden on eight under and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters on nine under.
Fowler struggled to a 75 on day one and followed with a 71 Friday but charged into the hunt with birdies on three of the first five holes, making short putts on the par-5 first and fifth and driving the green at the par-4 third to set up a tap-in birdie.
Fowler sank a 26-foot birdie putt at the par-3 eighth, then holed out from 73 yards for an eagle at the par-4 ninth to shoot six under 29 for the front side.
Van Zyl aced the 173-yard, par-3 eighth hole and played the front nine in one under to stand on two over for the tournament.
Britain’s Justin Rose fired the first hole-in-one in Olympic history in Thursday’s opening round, a spectacular ace to welcome golf back to the Games after a 112-year absence.
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