Korea's Park Wins Gold in Women's Golf

(ATR) International Golf Federation officials made the call to move up tee times for the final round of the women’s Olympic golf due to the impending threat of afternoon thunderstorms.

The leaders teed off at 8:44 a.m. on Saturday morning, nearly two hours earlier than scheduled, in what proved to be a smart decision.

Korean Inbee Park holed out on the 18th green at 1:36 p.m. – under overcast skies and with storms looming – to become the first women’s Olympic golf champion in 116 years. Park, 28, carded a final round 66 to finish the tournament at 16-under-par. She won comfortably by five shots over New Zealand’s Lydia Ko.

Ko, 19, sunk a clutch eight-foot birdie putt on the 18th green to claim the silver medal by one stroke over Shanshan Feng of China.

As Park, Ko and Feng were wrapping up the post tournament news conference minutes before 3 p.m., a heavy downpour of rain began to fall at the Olympic course. Had the official decision not been made by the IGF at 5 p.m. Friday night, one that needed IOC approval, the tournament would have needed to be halted on Saturday afternoon as the leaders were likely playing the final few holes.

Park, a seven-time major champion who claimed the lead of the Rio 2016 tournament after the second round, said winning Olympic golf was the highlight of her career.

"It definitely is at the top because this is something I’ve never done before," Park told reporters after being awarded her gold medal on the 18th green. "I’ve won all majors, but I haven’t won gold medals and so this feels very special. It’s been a special week and trying to represent my country and being able to hear the national anthem – it was a special moment."

The tournament appeared headed toward a silver medal playoff, until Ko delivered an excellent uphill pitch from left and below the final green before making birdie four.

"I think it was a dramatic finish and as players we were nervous and excited," Ko said. "I think we made it very exciting for the media, the fans and everybody that was watching worldwide."

Feng, 27, said she made certain that she had more fun playing than usual, realizing that most of China was probably watching.

"Coming into this week I knew that we would be televised all over the world and usually back in China you can only watch on golf channels," Feng said. "But this time golf is televised on all channels back in China so I made sure I brought my A-game and smiled all the time. Normally, we have our poker faces on, so this time I thought I had to look a little nicer and smile a lot more."

Golf Delivers in Rio

Considering the negative expectations ahead of golf’s return to the Olympics – the story lines coming out of the Olympic tournaments have been tremendous, with viewership for the men’s and women’s to match.

Initial reports of viewership around the world have been impressive. The narrative and assumptions of select media and players entering the Olympics seems to have been completely reversed.

"Honestly, everything was great – I really don’t have any complaints," said Stacy Lewis of the U.S., who was very emotional after finishing one shot away from forcing a bronze medal playoff.. "The set-up of the course was hard but fair and you had the best players in the world at the top of the leaderboard and that’s what you want."

Brooke Henderson of Canada finished two shots away from the medals, but like Lewis, said having women’s Olympic golf in the world spotlight was tremendous for the game.

"Just being in the Summer Olympic Games where you get audiences that golf doesn’t get all the time – I think is really good for growing the game and improving it. I saw some young kids out here today and the more and more I see them pick up or follow the game more closely and hopefully I inspired them to play a little bit better."

With two dramatic 18th hole finishes on a course that received rave reviews, a larger turn-out of Brazilian spectators than anticipated and no logistical or operational difficulties, those involved in the men’s and women’s tournaments delivered powerful statements about golf’s role in the Olympic movement.

The IOC will decide in 2017 whether the sport will remain in the Games beyond Tokyo 2020.

It should be a gimme.

Written by Brian Pinelliat Reserva da Marapendi

For general comments or questions,click here.

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.