Lydia Ko saves best for last and completes her Olympic journey

Table Of Contents

Before a ball had been struck at Le Golf National for the women’s Olympic tournament, Lydia Ko knew that she already had two Olympic medals waiting for her back home.

A winner of the silver medal in golf’s first ever Olympic appearance back in Rio in 2016, she then became the first ever golfer in either the men’s or women’s games to win multiple medals as she would win a bronze at the delayed Tokyo games. 

Needing a gold to complete her set, after a slow first round, the New Zealander produced some brilliant golf in her second and third rounds to head into the final round sharing the lead with Morgane Metereux. 

With the breeze picking up, scoring in the final round would be tough. Not only would Ko need to handle the tough conditions, but several of the games biggest stars were within touching distance of her lead. For Ko to get her hands on the gold she desperately craved she would certainly have to do it the hard way. 

Despite back nine jitters, Ko holds her nerve to prevail 

Starting the day at the top of the leaderboard level on -9, Ko knew that in order to cement her position and stake her claim for gold, a fast start would be essential. However, clearly feeling the pressure of the occasion, her round got off to the worst possible start and she opened up her round with a bogey.  

Dropping back closer to the field, Ko was able to steady herself on her second hole and she regained the shot she dropped on the third hole.

Now back in her groove, the two time major winner was showing that she was starting to handle the tricky conditions and the magnitude of the occasion. Rolling off successive pars on holes 4, 5 and 6, Ko would take control of proceedings with birdies on 7 and 9.

With the chasing pack unable to bridge the gap, by the time Ko had made the turn she was in complete command and had opened up a five stroke lead. 

However, as we saw last week with Jon Rahm blowing his lead, winning the gold medal can be difficult to do and Ko certainly wasn’t immune to the pressures.

Her five stroke lead was whittled down to three when she made a costly double bogey on the par 4, 13th. With her rivals sensing that this could be Ko’s Rahm moment, the world 22 had to draw on all of her experience to hold her position. 

Nailing nervy putts on the 14th, 15th and 16th holes. Her win was almost complete. Once again making no mistake with another par on the 17th. She headed up the last knowing that nothing short of an implosion would allow her to finally get her hands on the gold. 

With the nerves having left her body, Ko closed out the tournament in style with a birdie on the last. A victor by two strokes, Ko’s Olympic journey was complete and with it a place in the Golf Hall of Fame secured. 

The youngest ever member of golf’s eternal fraternity, it’s easy to forget that she is still just 27. Ko has made no secret of her desire to retire by the age of 30 and with this gold medal making its way back to New Zealand with her, it could be that her decision to step away from the game could come far earlier than anybody had expected. 

Ko holds her nerve to prevail


A surprise in silver as Esther Henseleut makes Saturday charge 

Starting the day seven shots off the lead held by Lydia Ko and Morgane Martereux, Esther Henseleut produced one of the very best rounds of her career as she charged up the leaderboard to win a silver medal for herself and Germany.

Ranked 54 in the world and with nothing to lose, the German showed no fears as she took Le Golf National apart. 

Starting her round off a bang with birdies on both the first and second holes, she would make the turn on -6 and had Ko in her sights.

Still needing to push another birdie would follow on ten but she would surrender a shot on the 12th. Wanting to post a score, she would end her round brilliantly and birdies on 17 and 18 and a -8 finish would ensure that the leaders would have to hold their nerve. 

One by one players returned off the course unable to match her exploits and a medal was on the course. With Ko herself starting to feel the burdens of leading, by the time the final group headed up 18, Henseleut was only one shot behind.

Knowing that any mistake from Ko would see her claim gold, she would have to settle for silver as the New Zealander played the final hole brilliantly and would secure a birdie that would see her complete her Olympic quest. 

Despite finishing second, her achievement was special considering the quality players she finished ahead of. Still just 25, Henseleut will hope this week will propel her to bigger and greater things. 

A surprise in silver as Esther Henseleut makes Saturday charge


A frustrating week for many hopefuls 

Xiyu Lu was able to get yet another medal for China as she claimed the bronze medal. The world number 20 would have been pleased with her exploits but for many of the game’s leading lights, this will be a week that is remembered for all of the wrong reasons. 

Tokyo gold medalist and world number one Nelly Korda would end up enduring a frustrating week. So usually solid, her play this week has been littered with errors. Any hopes of a medal were dashed when she recorded a triple bogey on the 15th hole. Unable to claim a medal this time around, her attention will now turn to the Women’s Open where she will hope to claim her first major of the year. 

World number seven Celine Boutier got off to a great start and led proceedings after the first round. With the French crowd dreaming of a home gold, Boutier struggled with the expectations and would gradually fall down the leaderboard. 

Teeing off today with hopes of getting back into the medal mix, two bogeys in four holes rendered her race run and three more bogeys on her back nine would see her have to settle for an 18th place finish. 

Brooke Henderson, Rose Zhang, Atthaya Thitikul and Charlie Hull are just a few of the names who will be looking to put this week behind them and move onto the Open which will be held at St Andrews from August 22nd.