Harukyo Nomura carded the second-best round of the final day of the women’s Rio Olympic golf tournament on Saturday to fly up the leaderboard, but it was not enough as she finished tied for fourth, seven shots behind gold medalist Inbee Park.
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Park, a seven-time major victor on the LPGA Tour, shot her third 66 of the tournament, with the smooth-swinging South Korean confirming she was a cut above the rest of the field around the Olympic Golf Course as she finished at 16-under 268. “Whether it was a worry or whether it was people thinking she’s going to do good, there was a little bit of confusion from me whether I can perform well this week or not, because I really haven’t performed well this year with the injury”.
She had a poker face and a putter that couldn’t miss, a combination that was too much for Lydia Ko or anyone else.
Plagued by a thumb injury, she missed two months of competitive play including two Majors this year. “I really haven’t planned for anything right now”. China’s Shanshan Feng also shot 69 for 10 under to win bronze.
The severity of the injuries forced the 28-year-old LPGA hall of famer to considered pulling out of the Olympics – even though the Rio Games were the first time the women’s golf event was held in 116 years. She returned a closing 66, and would have found herself in a playoff for bronze if she hadn’t left her 15-foot birdie putt short on the last hole. 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. Park Sang-young won the gold medal in men’s individual epee fencing by overcoming an apparently impossible score gap with his opponent.
“Eventually, I’d like to have a family but there is no plan for retirement at the moment”, said Park. “I am happy to confirm I can still play good golf even though I suffered from poor performances for some time”, Park added. “Being able to receive the gold medal was an unforgettable moment”.
Asked if fans might have forgotten that she was pretty good, Park only smiled.
Stacy Lewis had a chance at a medal for the Americans with birdies on the 16th and 17th holes. Gerina Piller, who played in the last group, was part of a three-way tie for third until missing three straight putts – two for par – on the back nine.
The round of the tournament, and indeed the Olympic Games, went to Russia’s Maria Verchenova who made it around the par-71 layout by shooting 62, the lowest score seen in either the women’s tournament or the men’s.
South Korea has been the dominant nation in women’s golf, so a gold medal was no surprise. The seven-time major victor had been battling a thumb injury all season, and some had wondered whether she should give her spot to someone else.
When Pak won the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open and embarked on her own Hall of Fame career, she sparked a surge in golf interest that has never subsided.
“It’s unbelievable. It is a course that really suits me”, Verchenova said. “I’m gonna work harder”.
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Ko’s best chance was around the turn. Park answered with a shot into 3 feet for another birdie. It was like that all day – all week.
