RIO DE JANEIRO – Two strokes back to begin the final round, Lydia Ko’s gold medal hopes were quickly dashed on Saturday when eventual Olympic champion Inbee Park began her day with three birdies in her first five holes and made the turn six strokes clear of the field.
Ko, however, never let up in her quest to earn a medal and made the turn in a three-way tie for third, but the New Zealander had no interest in playing for a bronze medal.
The world No. 1 birdied three of her last five holes, including an 8-footer at the last to finish alone in second place at 11 under par, a stroke clear of China’s Shanshan Feng.