In her first season as a professional golfer, Lopez carded a 4-under 35-32-67.
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South Korea’s Oh Hye-ri captured gold medal in women’s -67kg taekwondo at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Friday. On the par-5 closing hole, Park’s tee shot found a bunker and it took three more shots to reach the green.
“It seemed a little bit softer today and not quite as windy as I experienced yesterday”, said Henderson. She took time off to recover, and to pour everything into being ready for the Olympics. The seven-time major champion and world No. 1 has already won four of the LPGA’s five current major titles, and gold would put her in rarefied air.
“So just really see myself up in contention, up at the top of the leaderboard, standing on that podium, and just really giving myself belief and self-talk that I do belong here”. The 19-year-old from New Zealand started the day seven shots behind.
“Being able to hear the national anthem on the golf course on the 18th hole was an unforgettable moment”, she said.
Park qualified for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame this year, but has struggled with form and injury in recent months and missed July’s British Open.
The American had no complaints about her golf or her position at the halfway point of the first Olympic women’s golf competition since 1900.
Round of the day: After a first-round 70, Lewis made 11 birdies, a bogey and a double. When she tapped in for par on the final hole, she threw both hands in the air and leaned back her head at the cloudy sky.
From there she controlled the final round as Ko’s hot putter from a day earlier went cold.
Ko’s drive safely on the fairway, her second shot pulled on the left, into the gallery and was picked up by a young fan who obviously doesn’t know much about the game. For four of us here, if anybody can have a good result, it will really change everything of golf in China.
Stacy Lewis is at 9 under after 36 holes of the Olympics in Rio. Park and Ko will be joined in the final group by Piller, last year’s Solheim Cup hero who posted 3-under 68 and remains in search of her first individual win. I walk on the street and no one knows who I am. Feng claimed bronze on 10-under with Ko shooting two-under 69 in the final round, finishing at 11-under overall.
In badminton, Jung Kyung-eun and Shin Seung-chan secured South Korea’s only medal in the sport at Rio, beating Tan Yunating and Yu Yang of China by a set score of 2-0 in the bronze medal match of the women’s doubles competition.
Lewis, a two-time major victor on the LPGA Tour, thought something was seriously wrong in Wednesday’s opening round when she shot a 1-under 70.
“I really wanted to do well this week to show people that I can still play”, Park said, after winning by five strokes on Saturday.
“I felt I was lacking something and that there was a reason I was losing (internationally).” she said. Park stared straight ahead and kept pouring in putts.
It may be an good omen for Ko.
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She said she benefited from practicing hitting low shots to counter the wind.
