Americans collectively struggling at the men's Olympic golf tournament

Rickie Fowler is in 50th place through two rounds in Rio. (Getty Images)

The United States is the only country participating in the men’s Olympic golf tournament with the maximum allotment of four players in the field. They were all in the top 15 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the qualifying cutoff before the British Open.

Through 36 holes in Rio, just one of the four Americans in the field is in the top 15 of the 60-player event.

Matt Kuchar, who got in the field when Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth declined to compete in this event, is tied for 14th place at 3-under 139 through two rounds. He’s seven shots behind leader Australian Marcus Fraser, who also got into the event thanks to his countrymen taking a pass on golf’s return to the Olympics.

Then there’s Bubba Watson, one shot behind Kuchar at 2 under par.

Another shot further behind is Patrick Reed. After Day 1, Reed, as well his fellow Americans, suggested the old 72-hole mantra that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Now nine back with 36 holes to play, Reed realizes he’s going to have to put on his sprinting spikes for Saturday.

“If I would have shot 5‑ or 6‑under par today, I would felt like, all right, you have 36 holes,” Reed said. “But now I have to go out and do something special for 36. At least I felt like I’m trending in the right direction.”

Rickie Fowler is in the worst position among the American players. At 4-over 146, he’s 14 back of the lead and alone in 50th place in the 60-player field. At this point, Fowler has to go for broke in the final two rounds.

“It’s a very outside chance but there’s still a chance,” Fowler said. “You can make a lot of birdies around this golf course. Unfortunately I haven’t done that. I need to get the putter going if that’s going to happen. I’ve been putting together some great rounds of golf at home. Unfortunately not exactly transferring over yet.”

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