Australian journeyman Marcus Fraser was working to preserve his lead on the second day of Olympic golf yesterday, although several European players including Sweden’s Henrik Stenson were in pursuit as soggy conditions set in after morning rain.
 Fraser, who plays on the European Tour, had a three-stroke lead as he headed onto the back nine of the course. Some of Fraser’s European Tour rivals, such as Belgian Thomas Pieters and France’s Gregory Bourdy, also carded solid scores after a rain spell that had the caddies whipping out their umbrellas.
 Stenson, this year’s British Open winner, was doing all he could to catch Fraser. He grabbed the crowd’s attention early on by draining a 90-foot putt after hitting a hazard on the third hole.
 Stenson took some risks and often found himself in wild, grassy areas. With a handful of holes to go, the Swede was second. France’s Gregory Bourdy, who had a two-under 69, said he had been expecting better weather with an early tee time but the course became tougher after the rain.
 Bourdy said that European players did not necessarily have an edge in Rio, even though the course, designed by Gil Hanse, was a links-style venue.
 “We never know in golf. We say every year that the British Open is good for the European guys but the Americans always are in the top three or five and they don’t play all year on links courses,” Bourdy said.
 Britain’s Justin Rose, who hit a hole in one on Thursday, was tied for third near the end of his round. Golf’s first gold medal in 112 years, after the sport was reintroduced to the Olympics in Rio, will be awarded tomorrow after two more rounds of play.