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| Gold Medalist Soyoung Lee of South Korea accepts congratulations after the women’s Individual Stroke Play Round 3 of golf event at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, capital of east China’s Jiangsu Province, Aug. 21, 2014. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi) |
21 August 2014, Nanjing, China: Lee Soyoung played a near perfect final round to claim the Gold Medal in the Women’s Individual Stroke Play competition at the Youth Olympic Games at Zhongshan International Golf Club today.
With no bogies and seven birdies the 17-year-old Korean shot 65 to finish 14-under-par and three ahead of her nearest rival Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Ssu-Chia, who won the Silver Medal.
Supamas Sangchan, from Thailand, finished four shots further back to claim the Bronze. The three medalists finished clear of the field with Virginia Elena Carta of Italy and Germany’s Olivia Cowan next best placed on two-under-par.
Lee played brilliantly in the final round, going out in 32 strokes for the front nine with birdies at the first, fourth, sixth and seventh before carrying that form into her final nine holes with a further three birdies on the 13th, 15th and 18th.
Lee said, “I was trying hard not to think about the Gold Medal. I played really solid today and made seven birdies and no bogies.
“To win the first Olympic Gold Medal in golf in more than 100 years, even though it is the Youth Olympic Games, is an amazing feeling.”
Cheng matched Lee for much of the final round but couldn’t claw back the two-shot gap between them at the start of the day and after failing to pick up a shot on the par 3 17th she failed to match Lee’s birdie at the 18th to finish three shots behind.
She said, “I was hoping to win a medal before I came here. A Silver makes me very happy. I played with Lee before, we know each other. She is a really good player. I congratulate her, she played really well.
“I’m looking forward to the mixed team event. We should have a good chance. We have some chemistry between each other and both of us played well here this week.”
Thailand’s Supamas Sangchan closed with solid round of 70 to take the Bronze, a feat matched by her countryman Danthai Boonma in the Men’s competition. The 18-year-old Supamas, from Panya Indra Golf Club, Bangkok, has won amateur events in Malaysia and Singapore this year and was delighted to add the Bronze Medal to her trophy cabinet.
“I feel happy. I thought today would be better but this is enough for me,” she said.
“Before the day started, I was feeling excited because this is the final day. I couldn’t close the gap on Lee and Cheng, they played great. The result is OK for me.”
For the full leaderboard in the Youth Olympic Games Women’s Individual Stroke Play Competition please visit:
http://www.nanjing2014.org/en/en_sports/GamestimeResults.htm.
PARATORE SHOOTS 66 TO WIN GOLD AT NANJING 2014 YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES
21 August 2014, Nanjing, China: Italy’s Renato Paratore overturned a three shot deficit at the start of the day, moving from fifth to first, to win Gold in the Men’s Individual Stroke Play Golf Competition at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing.
The young Italian shot 66, meaning he was 11-under-par for his last 36 holes, to beat Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult into second place.
Paratore, ranked fifth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, birdied the 17th and 18th to go from being one behind to one in front and then had a nervous wait as Kinhult came down the 18th.
“I played really good on the long game and putted well today,” he said. “I knew I was one off the lead when I was playing 17, so I knew I had to make two birdies to win. I was really pleased to make the birdies, one from ten metres and one from six.
“I was nervous watching Marcus playing the last hole but it is really nice to win the Gold Medal. My father is here and he is really excited for me. I can’t believe it. I’m very happy.”
Marcus Kinhult of Sweden, ranked just one place behind Paratore in the World Ranking, shot a final round 69. It moved him up from Bronze Medal position to Silver but with just two holes to go he was in Gold Medal position.
“It feels good of course, I wanted to win, but Renato was better. He deserves it,” he said.
“I saw the leaderboards on the 10th tee. I thought I have to play the back nine in two-under-par to have a chance. I didn’t quite manage it. I knew I had to make the final putt to force a play-off but I hit a bad putt.
“I have really enjoyed the Youth Olympics on and off the course, especially being in the village. That’s definitely cool. Being a part of the history, that’s cool too.”
Thailand’s Danthai Boonma started the day in second and shot 73 and looked set to miss out on a medal until Norway’s Victor Hovland bogied the 18th meaning the two players would play-off for the Bronze Medal. It took two trips down the 18th to separate the pair but following a poor tee shot Hovland missed the green short right while Boonma hit it pin high to 10 feet. Hovland couldn’t get up and down, allowing Boonma a simple two putt for Bronze.
“I’m so happy to get a Bronze Medal. I was pretty confident in the play-off but Viktor is a good player and he put some pressure on me.
“I had to dig deep to find a way to beat him. The medal is very important for me, and I believe the Thai people will like it.”
For the full leaderboard in the Youth Olympic Games Men’s Individual Stroke Play Competition please visit:
http://www.nanjing2014.org/en/en_sports/GamestimeResults.htm.
