Park Inbee wins first women's gold medal in Olympic golf for 116 years

By Rio 2016 20/08/2016 15H13

Golfer from Republic of Korea shot seven birdies on final day to finish five strokes ahead of New Zealand's Lydia Ko

Park Inbee wins first women's gold medal in Olympic golf for 116 years — Park shot three rounds of 66 and finished 16 under par to win gold at Rio 2016 (Photo: Getty Images/Scott Halleran)

Park Inbee, the 28-year-old golfer from the Republic of Korea, shot three straight birdies on the final day of the women's four-round golf championship to finish the day with a five-under 66 and a five-shot victory to earn Olympic gold at Rio 2016.

Lydia Ko of New Zealand, the world no. 1, made an eight-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 69 to claim the silver medal. Feng Shanshan of China shot 69 and took the bronze.

Park finished the tournament with a 16-under-par 268, Ko eneded on 273 and Feng totalled 274.

See the full golf results from Rio 2016

"I feel extremely honoured and proud that I get to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games," said Park. "It feels truly unreal. I am just so happy to be standing on the highest spot on the podium.

"I have won many tournaments but I have never felt this before."

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Ko, meanwhile, was philosophical about finishing second. "At the end of the second day I wasn't in the greatest position but playing well in the last two days has led me to this point," she said. "I am so proud of myself and the team for getting this silver medal. It is a huge honour.

"It is something I have always been dreaming about and I can't believe it has come true."

No walk in the park: golf fans get a workout at Rio 2016

Park has won seven majors, including the career Grand Slam, and earlier this year became the youngest player in history qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame. Now she has the first gold medal awarded in women's golf since Paris 1900, the only time women previously competed in golf at the Games. At that competition, four nations were represented in a single-round of nine holes and the USA won all three medals. Men's golf last appeared in the Olympic Games in St Louis in 1904.

Park predicted that her sport's return to the Olympic Games would boost participation around the world. "I think golf is going to get more popular after a lot of people watched today. Even people who don't like golf have watched golf this week. "

A large gallery held up Republic of Korean flags for Park to see behind every green and on the way to every tee.

When Park tapped in from two feet for par on the 18th hole, she raised her arms and tilted her head to a cloudy sky.

Park celebrates her Olympic gold medal (Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

With files from the Associated Press and Olympic News Service

The first women's Olympic golf champion for 116 years has been crowned on Day 15 of Rio 2016 Photo: (Getty Images/Scott Halleran)
Inbee Park of South Korea became only the second women's golf gold medallist in Olympic history after the USA's Margaret Abbott won in 1900 Photo: (Getty Images/Scott Halleran)
New Zealand's Lydia Ko won the silver for her nation's 17th medal of Rio 2016 Photo: (Getty Images/Scott Halleran)
Ko putted for birdie on the 18th green to snatch the silver in dramatic fashion Photo: (Getty Images/Scott Halleran)
Shanshan Feng of China, the first player from China to become a member of the LPGA Tour, won the bronze medal Photo: (Getty Images/Scott Halleran)
It is only the second time that a women's golf competition has been included at the Olympic Games - it will return again at Tokyo 2020 Photo: (Getty Images/Ross Kinnaird)