18 exciting holes will crown golf's first Olympic champion since 1904
RIO DE JANEIRO – The cream rose to the top of the leaderboard Saturday in the men’s golf tournament at Olympic Golf Course.
Eighteen holes will decide if they will take up residence on the medal stand.
Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Bubba Watson, winners of four majors between them, made substantial moves in Saturday’s third round as wind whipped across this flat layout peppered with native grass, sand, deep bunkers and demanding greens.
Temperatures are forecast to reach the high 80s and strong winds will sweep across the Gil Hanse design.
Rose, who won the 2013 U.S. Open, took the 54-hole lead with a 6-under-par 65 to move to 12 under heading into today’s final round. Stenson, who set records in his tour de force at Royal Troon to win the British Open in July, shot 68 to get within one of Rose at 11 under.
“Obviously this tournament has been very, very special and very, very different for all of us,” Rose said. “You're always very aware of you're in the gold position and the silver and bronze position and after that, it doesn't mean a whole lot.”
Watson is in a group at 6 under after a 67. The two-time Masters champion has the firepower to close the gap between himself and the leading two.
Marcus Fraser, for now, is standing in the way of a possible medal sweep by major champions. His 72 left him at 9 under.
Also at 6 under with Watson is Emiliano Grillo and David Lingmerth, who each shot 68. Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington is one of five players at 5 under.