Earlier in the week, Nomura almost whiffed on a 6-inch putt for par that she missed, ultimately marking the difference between potentially landing on the medal stand and missing out.
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Lee’s compatriot Oh started her final round strongly, moving to within two shots of the bronze medal position following back-to-back birdies on the tricky 10th and 11th holes but a double bogey on 13 which saw her twice in the bunker at different ends of the green saw any momentum accrued evaporate. “It is a huge honor”, said Ko. Park kept her composure, even as she was making one birdie after another to demoralize Ko and anyone else trying to challenge her.
“My celebration was as if I won the gold”, Ko beamed within minutes of finishing her round.
Park has 17 career LPGA Tour titles, including seven major championships.
At no. 3 and 7 in the world, Brooke Henderson and Stacy Lewis of Canada and the United States of America respectively did their utmost to claw their way into the bronze medal race.
Park got South Korea’s sole medal, which should be some consolation for the country that some said had a chance to sweep the podium, since it sent the biggest squad of all competing nations with four players in the field.
Charley Hull came to the Olympics as the world’s 27th ranked player and showed everyone just why she should be ranked an bad lot higher than that by Tokyo in 2020.
Turn the clock to Saturday, and Park is surely glad she made the call.
Park predicted that her sport’s return to the Olympic Games would boost participation around the world. That, she hopes, will lead to more people playing golf in China. But she soon stretched that advantage with four birdies on a flawless front nine.
“Before coming here we had some negative press but I think we have all proved what an fantastic week it was for golf, for the women’s game. Nothing I want to exchange”, she said.
After Rose shot the first ever hole in one in Olympic history, the ladies had three Aces over the course of the four days as Ko, China’s Lin Xiyu and Russia’s Maria Verchenova all holed out from the tee box during the week.
“Being able to overcome injury this week and being able to play good, I’ve worked really hard for this week and hard work really paid off this week, so I’m really happy”.
This was Park’s first win anywhere since November, and it may also give her some much-needed boost for the remainder of the LPGA season.
“Even people [in China] that they don’t play golf, they actually get to see us and they get to actually see how great the Chinese players are”, Feng said.
All five South Korean taekwondo fighters have won a medal in Rio – two golds and three bronzes.
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Whatever Park decides – and it is completely her right to keep playing or to retire – she needs to be celebrated as a great player and a Hall of Famer. Men’s golf last appeared in the Olympic Games in St Louis in 1904.
