Park takes 2-shot lead into final round at Olympics

The first women’s golf Olympic gold medal since 1900 is probably coming to South Korea.

But while much of the field closed with birdies, Feng played her final six holes in 1 over, good enough to hang on for third and a coveted spot on the Olympic podium.

“I feel extremely honoured and proud that I get to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games”.

“I’m just happy to be playing right now”.

The former world No. 1 and victor of seven major championships was an unflappable front-runner the last three rounds and capped off her victory with a final-round 5-under-par 66.

“Either way, it was a dramatic finish and I think we made it very exciting for the media and the fans and everybody who was watching worldwide”, said Ko, who shot a two-under 69 for the final round. 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.

For Nomura, the Olympic tournament and particularly her strong showing has only whetted her appetite for more, four years down the track.

China’s Shanshan Feng was five strokes behind Park, trying to protect her silver medal position. “I failed to convert a birdie in the 15th hole, before I made some adjustments to finish three birdies in a row”, Feng said.

In her post-match interview with The Golf Channel, Piller said she would “work harder for next time” as tears of disappointment trickled down her cheeks.

Stacy Lewis had a chance at a medal for the Americans with birdies on the 16th and 17th holes.

She then stumbled on the tenth, hitting her tee shot into the water en route to a bogey. “I think golf is going to get more popular after a lot of people watched today”.

Following on from the dramatic showdown between Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson in the men’s event last weekend, Park’s serene path to victory was fitting of a fantastic four days of Golf put on by players from the Ladies European and LPGA Tours. She was tied with Ko for silver heading into the 18th but made a three-putt par as Ko sank a birdie. But when she played a Korean LPGA event earlier this month and missed the cut, there was talk at home that someone else should go in her place.

Park never cracked. When she tapped in from 2 feet for par on the final hole, she raised her arms and tilted her head to a cloudy sky, and moments later was beaming as she sang to her national anthem.