Marcus Fraser in contention for gold as favourite Henrik Stenson pokes alligator

HENRIK Stenson had a strange encounter on the Olympic golf course taking on a resident alligator during his third round in Rio.

Henrik Stenson poked an alligator during his third round in Rio

MARCUS Fraser admits he’ll need star Swedish golfer Henrik Stenson to be off his game to be in with a chance of winning the first Olympic golf medal.

Or the Australian could hope Stenson keeps trying to poke alligators on the Rio course, as the Open Champion did in bizarre scenes on the third day of action.

The world no.5 shifted up into second behind outright leader Justin Rose - with Fraser dropping to third - but the strangest moment came when Stenson decided to prod a caiman during his round.

Marcus Fraser remains on track for a first ever golfing Olympic medal

The toothy resident of the Rio course didn’t respond and with all his limbs still intact, Stenson finished his round with a 3-under par 68.

That saw the tournament’s top-ranked player position himself for a run at the first Olympic gold, although Rose’s 6-under 65 saw him hold a one-shot lead.

Fraser’s 1-over par round in windy conditions saw him two shots behind the lead in third.

“I didn’t play well, I was a little bit off and when you are a little bit off in these conditions, on this golf course, it feels like you are a long way off,” Fraser said.

With Olympic medals on the line on day four, Fraser admitted he would toss and turn in bed.

“Not in my wildest dreams did I think I would go to the Olympics and compete, and now I am a chance of winning a medal,” Fraser said.

Henrik Stenson pokes an alligator during #Golf at #Rio2016!

Has he not seen Happy Gilmore? https://t.co/9gXomrqYpa pic.twitter.com/GI5PIsBUur

— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) August 13, 2016

“It feels like I am going to wake up from this dream at some point. This is why we practice. We want to be in these situations and see what we’ve got. Hopefully I can go out there and play a bit better than what I did today.”

Fraser is three shots in front of fourth place but has eyes on the gold, and believes with favourable conditions, he can sweep back into the lead.

But part of those favourable conditions would be Rose and Stenson having off days, Fraser admitted frankly.

“I feel (confident) ... but at the same time I probably need those guys to be a little off to be able to do that,” Fraser said.

“They have world-class games I can only dream of having.

“Their best is a lot better than my best. I know that. I am not hiding away from that. But if I go out there and do a good job with my game and the way I play, I am definitely a chance.”

Originally published as Marcus Fraser in contention for gold as favourite Henrik Stenson pokes alligator