Lydia Ko won the Olympic women’s golf competition on Saturday, shooting 1-under 71 in the final round to finish at 10 under par.
What happened?
Ko completed the medal trifecta, having won silver in the 2016 Rio Games and bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
She earned the final point needed for inclusion into the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Ko did it under scrutiny and strain, but didn’t hint at walking away after winning gold.
Why it matters for Lydia Ko
The New Zealander now has gold to add to her silver and bronze medals.
Ko’s win was inspired by Simone Biles’ documentary, which she rewatched on Friday night.
She needed those positive thoughts after making double bogey on the 13th hole to cut her lead from five to three strokes.
What comes next?
Ko is set to compete in the upcoming Women’s Scottish Open and then the AIG Women’s Open on the Old Course at St. Andrews.
She said, “I’m excited to see how this hard work pays off.”
Ko will have to collect her silver medal from her sister’s house and the bronze from her dad’s closet.
Germany’s Esther Henseleit won silver at 8 under, while China’s Xiyu Lin won bronze at 7 under.
Ko takes 3-wood off the tee and lays up to 76 yards, then hits a perfect wedge to 6 feet.
After a par at the 17th, Ko entered the par-5 18th leading by one over Esther Henseleit.
Ko’s Olympic trilogy is now complete: silver in 2016, bronze in 2020, and gold in 2024.
The 27-year-old has won 12 times in three seasons and became world No. 1 as a pro.
Ko won her first major at age 18 and her second major less than a year later.