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Lydia Ko has competed in three Olympic Games since golf resumed, winning a medal each time. The New Zealand native secured a gold medal for her collection at Le Golf National in Paris on Saturday after shooting 71 in the final round to finish 10 under par, two shots ahead of silver medalist Esther Henseleit of Germany.
China’s Xiyu Lin took bronze with a final score of 7 under par.
Reigning gold medalist Nelly Korda of the USA finished at 1 under par. Rose Zhang finished at 5 under par and Lilia Vu was 5 over par.
Ko, 27, has now won all three Olympic medals, after taking silver at Rio 2016 and then taking home bronze at Tokyo 2020.
Ko stays in control
Earlier this week, Ko said she deleted her Instagram to focus on the Olympic tournament. She spent her free time watching Netflix and was fascinated by the Simone Biles documentary “Rising.” One quote from the seven-time Olympic champion stuck in the 20-time LPGA champion’s mind:
“I can write my own ending.”
“Sometimes we get upset by things we cannot control, and when I control the things I may Control, you know, the rest is out of my hands,” Ko said. “But I always say I want to be the one who determines my destiny and my ending and how I finish my career, my round, and I’ve just become very aware of that.”
Ko finished the 2016 Olympics five strokes behind winner Inbee Park of South Korea to take silver, but had to settle for bronze in Tokyo after losing a playoff to Japan’s Mone Inami.
This time, Ko took control in Paris and took the lead after a slow start to the tournament.
Ko was at even par in the first round, seven strokes behind leader Céline Boutier of France. But when some players, like Boutier, went in the wrong direction in the second round, Ko began her ascent.
On Thursday she played a 67 (5 under par) and on Friday a 68 (4 under par), putting her level with Swiss Morgane Metraux at the top after three rounds.
“If it’s meant to happen, it will happen,” Ko said afterwards about his dream of winning a gold medal.
After taking a bogey on the first hole on Saturday, Ko finished the first nine holes with three birdies, including a long one on hole number 7, to finally take the sole lead.
Ko lost the lead late in the fourth round when she made a double bogey on the 13th hole, leaving Henseleit at 6 under par for the day, giving her a chance at a medal. But Ko was undeterred by the slip-up. She followed the 6 with four pars and then a birdie on the 18th hole, securing her gold.
The victory in Paris not only secures Ko a gold medal – she is now officially a Hall of Famer.
Ko came out of the Olympics just one point – or one win – away from securing a spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame, and now she can add Olympic gold medalist and Hall of Famer to her impressive resume that includes 20 LPGA Tour victories, including two majors.
