Lydia Ko Takes Gold as Team USA Misses Podium in Thrilling Paris Women's Golf Final

Ko, who took silver in Rio and Bronze in Tokyo, won gold in Paris for her third career Olympic medal.

Aug 9, 2024; Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France; Lydia Ko (New Zealand) on no. 18 in the third round of women's individual stroke play during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Le Golf National. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports

Lydia Ko of New Zealand withstood a strong push from Germany's Esther Henseleit and China's Xiyu Lin to take home gold in the women's golf final at Le Golf National in Paris, France on Saturday.

Ko, who looked poised to run away with gold, at one point sitting at 11 under par-five strokes ahead of the competition-thanks to her stellar play in rounds two and three and on the front nine Saturday, watched her lead start to diminish as Henseleit birdied six times in the fourth round, and Lin birdied on three of the final four holes. The pressure to take home her first gold medal increased after Ko double-bogeyed hole 13.

Birdie putts on the 17th and 18th holes put Henseleit in position for the silver medal, which she ultimately secured after finishing eight shots under par, posting a score of 66, the best of any golfer in the fourth round on Saturday.

But Ko, with Henseleit and Lin done for the day, remained calm under pressure, sinking a birdie putt on the 18th to take home gold, the third Olympic medal of her career.

LYDIA KO WINS THE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL AND SECURES HER SPOT IN THE LPGA HALL OF FAME! 🇳🇿👏

📺 Golf Channel and Peacock | #ParisOlympicspic.twitter.com/wayAVtnoF0

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 10, 2024

An emotional Ko embraced her competitors and caddie as she realized she had achieved what no other golfer has-a full complement of Olympic medals.

Ko, who became the youngest professional golfer to become world No. 1 back in 2015 at the age of 17 and has won two majors in her career, officially qualified for the LPGA Hall of Fame with the victory Saturday.

USA's Nelly Korda, who won gold in Tokyo, seemed poised to finish on the medal stand for a second straight Olympics, but a pair of bogeys on holes 13 and 17 and a triple bogey on the 15th left her tied for 22nd.

Rose Zhang, who carded a 74 in the fourth round, finished as the top American at five strokes under par overall.