Lydia Ko was overcome with emotion as gold and the Olympic slam were secured. Since golf was restored to the Games in 2016, only three players have beaten Ko. Silver in Rio, bronze in Tokyo and now the top step of the podium in Paris for the 27-year-old. Within minutes of her triumph at Le Golf National, it was confirmed she will become the youngest inductee into the LPGA hall of fame.
For a spell on day four, this threatened to be a procession. Ko raced five clear of the field after 11 holes. Drama then beckoned; she double bogeyed the 13th as her closest challenger, Esther Henseleit, finished with a flourish. The German managed birdies on her last two holes to post an eight under par target. Ko stood on the 18th tee at minus nine and with no margin for error. In emphasising the New Zealander’s Olympic specialism, she produced a birdie to win by two.
