Heartbreak for Hannah while the Ko medal show rolls on
Australia’s Hannah Green has fallen agonisingly short of a golf medal for the second time with New Zealand’s Lydia Ko crowned the new Olympic champion.
Green finished her final round on Saturday in the bronze medal position, painfully missing a tough birdie putt on the 18th at Le Golf National.
She then had to wait for the rest of the field to finish, with the West Australian pushed down to a share of fourth by China’s Lin Xiyu, who nailed her own birdie on the final hole to move one stroke ahead.
Green also narrowly missed the medals in her Olympic debut in Tokyo three years ago, finishing fifth.
It continues Australia’s long wait for a golf medal with Jason Day the best performer in the men’s division in Paris finishing ninth.
The victory completes the Olympic medal collection for 27-year-old Ko, who won silver in Rio and bronze in Tokyo.
Former world No.1 Ko shared a two-shot lead with Morgane Metraux heading into the final round and while the Swiss bombed, the Kiwi ace kept her cool.
She signed for a final round one-under 71 to finish two strokes clear at 10 under.
Germany’s Esther Henseleit surged up the leaderboard from 11th on the back of a six-under 66 to take silver, while bronze medallist Lin was a further shot back.
Green, the 2019 Women’s PGA winner, shared fourth spot at six-under with Filipina golfer Bianca Pagdanganan, Korea’s Amy Yang and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita.
World No.6 Green was left to rue a costly opening round, with her five-over par 77 leaving her tied for 46th in the 60-strong field.
But the only player, along with world No.1 Nelly Korda, to win multiple LPGA titles this year, Green dug deep to turn her Olympic campaign around.
Korda had a final round 75 to drop down to a tie for 22nd alongside Australia’s other representative Minjee Lee, who carded a successive one-under 71.
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