Head-to-head battle ahead as Rose and Stenson chase gold

Overnight leader Marcus Fraser slipped back into third place after a 72 yesterday. Cup than a major but it’s more unique than either of those two. You can’t compare it to anything else.”

Stenson won his first major title at Royal Troon and finished seventh in the US PGA Championship just 14 days later, a result of the condensed schedule caused by golf’s return to the Olympics after an absence of 112 years.

He then had only 10 days to recuperate before the start of the men’s competition in Rio and admitted that could be a factor in Sunday’s final round.

“It’s been a long stretch for me and I’m just trying to squeeze out what I have left in the tank,” Stenson said.

“It’s still in my mind we are going for one thing, even though the consolation prizes might be better here than in some other events. It’s still No.1 that I’m going for.”

The medals could all come from the final group of Rose, Stenson and Fraser, with Bubba Watson, David Lingmerth and Emiliano Grillo sharing fourth place, three shots behind the Australian.

AndWatson could be left to rue a bizarre incident in his second successive 67, the two- time Masters champion carding a bogey on the 14th when he had a birdie putt from 30 feet, but hit it just four.

“That was the funniest thing ever,” the left-hander explained. “At least I’m going to be a legend.

“I fixed my ball mark, took some practice strokes and when I got over it to hit it, some mud came off the bottom of my putter. I tried to stop my stroke and did not stop quickly enough and it went about four feet.”

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, Matt Kuchar, Gregory Bourdy, Mikko Ilonen and Rafael Cabrera- Bello were a shot further back on five under, with Rickie Fowler on three under after a superb 64.

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