LAST UPDATE | 7 Aug 2021
IRELAND’S STEPHANIE MEADOW finished seventh after her fantastic final-day charge fell just short at the the women’s Olympic golf event at Tokyo 2020.
USA’s Nelly Korda won the gold medal after a dramatic final round at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama, in which play was suspended due to a severe storm warning.
Japan’s Mone Inami bagged the silver medal after a playoff, with Lydia Ko of New Zealand taking bronze, after a tight finish to which the storm delay only added to the drama.
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The buzzer went just as Meadow took her final par-saving putt on 18, rounding off a sizzling 66. After an excellent overall effort, she finished on 12-under, four shots off the medals as of now.
#Golf
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) August 7, 2021
A super charge from @StephMeadow20 for a closing 66 🔥
Shes 12-under and currently tied for 6th which will be just short of the medal spots but very well played Steph 🙌⛳#TeamIreland #Tokyo2020 @GolfIreland_ pic.twitter.com/CyxGm5uLdC
The Jordanstown native put herself in a good position on the final day of golf at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama. Birdies on the seventh, eighth, 12th and par at 13 provided the platform for her to mount a strong challenge down the home straight, though it fell just short.
Cavan’s Leona Maguire, meanwhile, signed off with a 71 after an encouraging final day fightback.
Maguire endured a challenging front nine today, but she bounced back with birdies down the home straight and ultimately finishes on five-under, currently in a tie for 23rd.
Through the tournament, Meadow carded other rounds of 72, 66 and 68 respectively, while Maguire shot 71, 67 and 70.
Korda made it an American golf clean sweep at Tokyo 2020. The world number one emulated countryman Xander Schauffele by carding a final-round 69 to finish at 17-under par 267 and win by one stroke from Ko and Inami.
Korda had to ride out a passing lightning storm and hold off the charging pair of home hope Inami and Rio 2016 silver medallist Ko, who both carded superb six-under par rounds of 65 but just fell short.
After almost an hour’s suspension because of the storm, Inami sank a birdie putt at the 17th green to move into a tie for the lead.
But the world number 28 buried her approach into the face of a greenside bunker to drop a crucial shot when a par would have forced a playoff for gold.
Ko, playing in the final group with Korda, had an eagle putt at the 17th from just off the green to make it a three-way tie at the top.
She could not make it but the birdie took her to 16-under and a par at the last meant she would become the first golfer to win two Olympic medals.
- Additional reporting from AFP.
