U.S. golfers struggle in golf's return to Olympics

RIO DE JANEIRO — Golf returned to the Olympics Thursday after an absence of 112 years. Someone forgot to tell the Americans.

Australian Marc Fraser set the pace with an 8-under-par 63 on the Olympic Golf Course, the USA, the only team with four players in the field of 60, had just Matt Kuchar under par at 69.

Patrick Reed shot 72, Bubba Watson signed for a 73 and Rickie Fowler limped home with a 75. All three played when winds picked up after the day broken calm, but others who faced the worst of the gusts turned in solid scores, including Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, who shot 66 to share second with Canadian Graham DeLaet, and Great Britain’s Justin Rose, who made the first hole-in-one in Olympic history en route to a 67.

“It's like the last two months. It's really close. It's just the score is not showing up,” Watson said. “It's one or two shots that are going in the wrong spots.”

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The one shot that got Watson was on the 10th when his tee shot found a foot print in the native areas filled with sand and grass. From there he made 7, and coupled with two three-putts, his scorecard was marred.

“It's called golf and it's very tough,” Watson said. “Some guys showed that it's easy, and that's what we do. I hit a lot of great shots out there. Just the score is not what I wanted. But I've got three more days to challenge and keep enjoying my adventure this week.”

Kuchar, who said he was inspired watching Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky swim earlier this week, dealt with nerves on the first tee and then strong winds on the back nine.

“The nerves don't get me very many places. Here it was a little different. To hear my name announced as an Olympian and to go tee off, there were a few more butterflies than I anticipated on the first tee,” Kuchar said. “ … The game just became more challenging when the winds picked up. The driving areas are fairly generous but off the driving areas are pretty penalizing. Most guys will probably be able to keep it in the short grass but if the wind does happen to grab a ball, it's a big penalty.

“ … I played well. It was a good round.”

Olympic golf course has challenges, but in calm conditions scores will go low

Fowler didn’t enjoy his. He started off with a double bogey on the first and never got back to level par.

“Still a lot of golf to be played. We can come back out, and I'm planning on. It will probably be better tomorrow,” Fowler said. “Really just the putter that held me back from playing halfway decent. I felt like I swung it well enough to be under par now. Unfortunately, not the start I was looking for. I know the other boys other than Kuch, they are not too satisfied, either.”

Reed couldn’t get the speed of the greens down but said he’ll get up to speed.

“Horrendous,” is how Reed described his play. “I hit the ball really bad. I didn't putt very well. Besides chipping, I feel like the rest of the game was just awful.  I mean, I couldn't have hit the ball worse and couldn't putt worse.

“ … When I got out there morning, I feel like my speed was pretty good on the putting green. But when I had my first (putt) of actual length outside of 15 feet, it seemed like the greens were a good two- to three-feet faster than the practice green. I blew so many putts by.”

But Reed said there is plenty of time to get back into contention.

“I feel like if I go out and play three really quality golf rounds, if I get the ball‑striking back and I figure out the speed just a little bit, I mean, I'll make some putts out here,” Reed said. “There's a lot of birdies out here.

“There's still time. It's not a sprint; it's a marathon.”

BEST IMAGES FROM AUG. 11 AT THE OLYMPICS