McIlroy sent gold medal victor Justin Rose a congratulatory text message.
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“We see now in the discussion in the golf community, there are obviously very different reasons for not going to Rio, not related to Zika”, Bach said. “Then, when the national anthem goes up, it makes you realise what it’s all about”. “It’s a very proud moment when you are able to share this moment with people back home”. “It was the best tournament I’ve ever done”, Rose told reporters afterwards.
There was no chance of that when Stenson pitched to four feet for birdie on the short 16th to join Rose on 15 under, but it was Rose who produced the best pitch on the par-five 18th to secure a famous win.
Stenson, who emerged on top after a similarly epic shoot-out with Phil Mickelson in The Open at Royal Troon last night, had to accept second place this time and the silver medal was a deserving reward for his part in a wonderful spectacle which saw Matt Kuchar of the United States claim the bronze medal after a course record-equalling last round of 63.
“I have no regrets. I pyres it and got a result”. “I battled pretty well”. “We’re always going to complain about three-putts, but we should never complain about what we have and what we don’t have and all these things”.
“To be an Olympic medalist is something special”. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime and I’m thrilled I came here”.
Silver: The reigning Champion Golfer of the Year, Stenson kept pace with Rose for 71 holes before faltering on 18. “It was unique, incredible”. Who said Olympic Gold meant nothing to a Golfer?
Rose is the first gold medalist in golf since George Lyon of Canada won against a field of mostly Americans.
At the par-5 18th, Stenson was shy of the green with his approach while Rose was left of the green with bunkers between, the gold fight down to a pitch and putt contest. Watson had a 30-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole, but when he took his putter back, a clump of mud dropped to the ground. Landing the ball about two meters (6.5 feet) from the pin with his third shot, he had a ideal opportunity to record a birdie but his birdie putt missed the hole and he ended with a par, only to take a bogey at the next hole.
Rose, whose only major victory was the U.S. Open in 2013, birdied and then punched the air and grabbed the British logo on his shirt to the acclaim of the crowd. “That made my win feel a lot more important”, Rose said.
“This is a dream come true”. To come out with a gold is unbelievable.
Their duel, though not living up to the crescendo of The Open recently, have the game the grandstand finish it needed to leave a mark on the Olympic community.
Unable to put away France after taking a 12-point lead into the fourth quarter, the USA clung to a four-point lead midway through the fourth quarter and hung on for a 100-97 victory, securing the top seed in Group A with a 5-0 record.
“It speaks for itself that this event has gone over well”, Kuchar said. “I’m just bursting with pride right now”.
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“The Olympics were the biggest goal of mine this year”, Ko said on Monday.
