custom ad
olympicsAugust 10, 2024

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France (AP) — Lydia Ko completed her

DOUG FERGUSON, Associated Press
Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, walks off the 14th green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, walks off the 14th green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, hits her shot from the 10th tee during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, hits her shot from the 10th tee during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, looks at her putt on the 15th green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, looks at her putt on the 15th green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Esther Henseleit, of Germany, look at the lie of her putt on the 18th green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Esther Henseleit, of Germany, look at the lie of her putt on the 18th green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Esther Henseleit, of Germany, react after missing a putt on the 14th green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Esther Henseleit, of Germany, react after missing a putt on the 14th green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Xiya Lin, of China, hits her shot from the 3rd tee during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Xiya Lin, of China, hits her shot from the 3rd tee during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nelly Korda, of the United States, waits fro other players on the 12th tee during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Nelly Korda, of the United States, waits fro other players on the 12th tee during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nelly Korda, of the United States, throws her ball to her caddie to clean it before putting on the 11th green uring the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Nelly Korda, of the United States, throws her ball to her caddie to clean it before putting on the 11th green uring the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Morgane Metraux, of Switzerland, races after missing putt on the 2nd green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Morgane Metraux, of Switzerland, races after missing putt on the 2nd green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Miyu Yamashita, of Japan, acknowledges the crowd after a birdie putt on the 2nd green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Miyu Yamashita, of Japan, acknowledges the crowd after a birdie putt on the 2nd green during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Maria Jose Uribe, of Colombia, walks onto the 18th green carrying her countries flag during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Maria Jose Uribe, of Colombia, walks onto the 18th green carrying her countries flag during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rose Zhang, of the United States, hits her shot from the 3rd tee during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Rose Zhang, of the United States, hits her shot from the 3rd tee during the final round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France (AP) — Lydia Ko completed her Olympic medal collection on Saturday with the most valuable of of them all, a gold medal that puts the 27-year-old Kiwi into the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Ko built a five-shot lead on the back nine at Le Golf National as her closest pursuers all collapsed, and then had to hang on until the very end. Her lead down to one, Ko made a 7-foot birdie putt for a 1-under 71 and a two-shot victory.

Ko won the silver medal in Rio de Janeiro. She won the bronze in Tokyo. The missing one turned out to be more valuable than its weight in gold. The victory pushed her career total to 27 points for the LPGA Hall of Fame, one of the strictest criteria for any shrine.

Esther Henseleit of Germany finished birdie-birdie for a 66 to make Ko work for it. She wound up with the silver. Xiyu Lin of China birdied the final hole for a 69 to win the bronze.

Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!

For Nelly Korda, Rose Zhang and Morgane Metraux, it was a day to forget. All of them were in range early. All of them fell back with a double bogey or worse.

This is the latest prize for a remarkable career for Ko, who won her first LPGA title as an amateur when she was 15 and rose to No. 1 in the world for the first time at 17. She began this year with a victory, leaving her one point short of the Hall.

“It would be a hell of a way to do it,” she said when she arrived at the course Monday.

___

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Advertisement

Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:

For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.

Advertisement
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!