The 28-year-old Park, who is the LPGA’S youngest hall of fame qualifier, capped off an exceptional Olympic performance after recovering from injuries that kept her off the course for two months this year.
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Park shot a closing 66, featuring seven birdies, to finish at 16 under, five clear of world No.1 Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, with China’s Shanshan Feng a shot further back taking bronze.
“Back in Korea, when I made my decision, a lot of people were saying maybe it might better for a fellow South Korean player to be in the field”.
After the fallout from the withdrawal of the world’s leading men, some citing concerns over the Zika virus while others claimed it did not fit their schedules, the golf tournaments have been a resounding success.
“I feel I hung in there, and I’m very happy I have a chance tomorrow”, Park said.
A large number of New Zealand athletes turned out to support Ko in her final round, and she told Sky Sport she could hear them cheering her on.
The 27-year-old bronze-medal victor from China gets it. She finished the tournament 16-under 268 with seven birdies and two bogeys. She made par on all nine holes on the back side to post 65 for the day and move to 9 under for the week. “I think it would be a cool feeling, but you never really know until you are there”.
Steady as she goes, stoic in nature, Inbee Park of South Korea rarely lets anything knock her off balance.
Former No.1 Park birdied three of the opening five holes in a stunning start to her final round at the Marapendi course. “I wanted to do my best, regardless of the outcome”, said Park after the game. “But my first Olympics was a fantastic experience and I got a good buzz off it”. “From this point, I fared well during this week”, said Feng.
She used a 7-iron for her hole-in-one on the par-3 eighth hole – the second of the day after Lin Xiyu of China made an ace on that hole – as the highlight of a front nine in which she shot 29.
The round of the day was shot by Maria Verchenova, whose uniquely stylish course attire, topped off with a wide-brimmed hat, invariably conveys the impression she has just popped out for a quick 18 en route to Royal Ascot.
She has been one of the most dominant golfers of either gender over the past five years until the recent emergence of Ko, a 19-year-old phenom. “This is something I’ve been really dreaming of doing this week and to get to represent your country in the Olympic Games and be able to get a gold medal is such a special feeling. I would have loved to have done a dance or jumped up and down but in that situation I was nearly about to cry”, the 19-year-old said.
Men’s golf last appeared in the Olympic Games in St Louis in 1904.
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Speaking at the conclusion of the women’s tournament, the South Africa team captain, Gary Player, judged the first Olympic golf tournaments an unequivocal success.
