American Nelly Korda secured a one-shot victory on a dramatic final day of the women’s Olympic golf competition in Tokyo.
Three shots ahead overnight, Korda’s lead was down to a single stroke when play was suspended for 50 minutes because of a tropical storm with just one hole to play. But the 23-year-old world no.1 held her nerve to par the 18th for a two-under 69 and a 17-under total that held off Japan’s Mone Inami and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko.
Inami then beat Rio silver-medallist Ko on the first hole of a play-off to secure the silver medal.
Korda, who had won two of her previous tournaments, began her final round confidently, sinking a long birdie putt on the first, but a double-bogey on the par-three seventh opened the door and although she immediately birdied the eighth that was only enough for a share of the lead with Ashok and the charging Ko.
The American birdied again at the next and reopened a three-shot lead as Ko made successive bogeys on 10 and 11, only for home favourite Inami to begin her late bid for glory.
Playing in the group ahead of Korda, she made five birdies between the 12th and 17th for a six-under 65 and briefly held a share of the lead, but it was a bogey on the last that was to prove decisive, Korda sitting out the weather delay before two-putting from just inside 30 feet for gold.
Korda was joined in her celebrations by older sister Jessica, who finished in a tie for 15th after shooting a closing 64.
The win completed a golfing double for Team USA after Xander Schauffele won the men’s competition last weekend.
India’s Aditi Ashok, who had been second after three rounds, finished one shot further back in fourth, while of the home nations, Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow faired best, finishing seventh on 12 under after a final round 66. It was disappointing tournament for Team GB, with Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Melissa Reid finishing 40th and 55th respectively in the 60-strong field. Reid rallied in the final round with a 68, but earlier rounds of 73, 75 and 76 saw her finish on eight-over-par for the week.
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