Rose blooms but Aussie leads way in the golf

THERE might not be too many things that apply to all 28 sports at the Olympics but shadowing the leaders at the halfway stage is never a bad place to be, whatever your discipline. That’s where Justin Rose finds himself after two rounds, following up his opening 67 with a more prosaic 69 yesterday. Two frustrating lip-outs in the last three holes left him just outside the medal positions but golf is like athletics in this regard: it rarely pays to hit the front too early. Accordingly, the Team GB star placed his irritation aside to offer a positive assessment. ‘I left a few shots out there at the 16th and 18th but you look at the leaderboard and I’m exactly where I want to be,’ he said. Open champion Henrik Stenson, meanwhile, is threatening to add another gold medal to the precious one he claimed with his breakthrough major championship victory at Royal Troon last month. Belgian Thomas Pieters should not be underestimated either, as he goes in search of the win that would come with the added bonus of catching Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke’s eye. First-round leader Australian Marcus Fraser did well to quell a late wobble to birdie the last for the slenderest of leads over Pieters, with Stenson two back and Rose four adrift. Rose (right) allowed himself a rueful smile when he reflected on the conditions he faced in the first two days. After a first round when he was out in the teeth of a strong wind, he woke yesterday to heavy rain. When Fraser, who had played in a still calm on day one, teed off at lunchtime for round two, the sun came out. ‘It does seem a little unfair but it’s part of golf and there’s no point worrying about it,’ said Rose. ‘Henrik’s had the same weather as me and he’s coped.’ Rose has done well to be in such a strong position given he didn’t feel he played his best over the front nine. ‘I don’t know if it was the cool, rainy conditions but I just felt uncomfortable with my swing over the first seven,’ he said. It’s on the greens where his fate will almost certainly be decided this weekend. Team GB’s manager Jamie Spence was a great putter during his European Tour days and offered an interesting assessment. ‘I just wish he’d relax a little more over putts, but it’s easier said than done,’ he said. ‘I’ll be gutted if he doesn’t get a medal.’ Masters champion Danny Willett was compiling a messy card where any gains were invariably followed by losses. With two holes to play he was tied 27th, and in need of a strong finish just to give himself an outside chance. America have dominated in the swimming, but their top golfing stars — Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed and Bubba Watson have been bit-part players at best.