Graham DeLaet starts strong at Rio Olympics

RIO DE JANEIRO — Canada’s George Lyon won the gold medal the last time golf was in the Olympics 112 years ago.

Fittingly, Canadian Graham DeLaet started off strong Thursday at the Olympic Golf Course in golf’s return to the Summer Games, grabbing the clubhouse lead for a while after a 5-under 66 before being overtaken by Marcus Fraser of Australia (8-under 63).

“I was a little nervous,” DeLaet said. “We do this for a living week in and week out but there was definitely a different feeling out there today … Playing for your flag is a little different than playing for cash, for points, for your family.”

Also different is DeLaet’s chipping game. In June at The Memorial, DeLaet took to Twitter to he withdrew from the tournament as short game anxiety sent him to the sidelines to get over chipping yips. As well, he wanted to spend time with his family; wife, Ruby, gave birth to twins, Roscoe and Lyla, the couple’s first children, last November.

He returned in July and finished in ties for 28th and ninth in two starts before the chipping yips returned at the RBC Canadian Open three weeks ago. Judging from the first round, the chipping yips are behind him – for now.

“I’m getting better every day. Here, there are a lot of options around the greens,” DeLaet said. “I’m battling through it. Luckily I hit the ball pretty well today. … I needed a break for my brain. But I’m getting better and better all the time. When I finally get through it, I’ll look back and this will be a blip on the radar for me.”

BEST IMAGES FROM AUG. 11 AT THE OLYMPICS