Olympic Games
Tokyo
Nelly Korda Claims Olympic Gold
Nelly Korda is enjoying a standout year in golf. The 23-year-old American’s latest feat was scored at Kasumigaseki Country Club outside Tokyo where she became the Olympic Champion in Golf—Women’s Stroke Play. In June, Korda earned her maiden major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The impressive win by three shots vaulted her to world No. 1. It was her third LPGA Tour victory for the year. She is clearly the best golfer right now in the women’s game!
Korda held off a busy leaderboard to earn the Gold medal by one shot at 17-under. Japan’s Mone Inami and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko finished at 16-under. Inami won the Silver medal in the playoff at the first extra hole with a par. Ko collected the Bronze medal. Ko, aged 24-year, is the only player to win multiple Olympic medals in Golf after claiming the Silver medal in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro. Australia’s Hannah Green was in contention for a medal over the final holes. The 24-year-old finished at 13-under and in a tie for fifth place.
Korda took a handy three-shot lead over India’s Aditi Ashok into the final round after carding rounds of 67, 62 and 69 to sit at 15-under. Her 62 in the second round matched her career-best score. Korda stood on the 18th tee at -11 for her round. A birdie on the 18th would have produced a round of 59.
After getting to 1-under through six holes during the final round to hold a two-shot lead, Korda dropped back into a three-way tie at the top of leaderboard with Ko and Ashok after making a double bogey at the 7th hole. All three players made a birdie at the par 5, 8th hole to reach 15-under. Ko had poured in five birdies to make a hot start after starting the day five shots behind Korda. Emily Kristine Pedersen, who was in the group ahead, chipped-in for a birdie at the 9th hole to get within one shot at 14-under. It was her fourth birdie in six holes. The pack was closing in on Korda and the world No. 1 responded with class. Korda followed a birdie at the 9th hole with another at the 10th. Her lead pushed out to three shots at 17-under with Ko, Ashok and Pedersen at 14-under.
From that point Korda held her nerve with six consecutive pars to close out her day with a 2-under 69 and remain at 17-under.
Inami and Ko were the big movers from of the players in contention on Day four. Both players fired stunning 6-under 65s. Inami lost her chance to deliver Japan Gold due to making a bogey the 72nd hole after finding a plugged lie in the front greenside bunker. Ko had a 35-foot birdie putt at the final hole to tie for the lead that fell four feet short of the hole.
Ashok fought bravely all round and faced a 25-foot birdie putt on the final green to remain in medal contention. The 23-year-old world No. 200 finished one shot out of the medals at 15-under and in outright fourth place.
Green and Pedersen shared fifth place at 13-under. Both players signed for a 3-under 68.
Defending Olympic champion Inbee Park from Korea finished at 5-under and in a tie for 23rd place.
Final Scores
Olympic Games Tokyo...Women
GOLD. Nelly Korda USA -17
SILVER. Mone Inami JPN -16
BRONZE. Lydia Ko NZL -16
4. Aditi Ashok -15
T5. Hannah Green -13
T5. Emily Kristine Pedersen -13
7. Stephanie Meadow -12
8. Shanshan Feng -11
Other Australian
T29. Minjee lee -4
Photo credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
