It can be won in many ways, but the one chosen by Lydia Ko to build her own legend was one of the most beautiful in living memory. The goal was to achieve an unattainable milestone, to become the only golfer with gold, silver and bronze medals at the Olympic Games.
She won the silver medal at Rio de Janeiro 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020, but to win all the metals she had to be the best in Paris 2024. She took on such a Herculean challenge with apparent calm, discreet during the first two days before reaching a shared lead in the third.
In the final round, the main contenders gathered around the glory starred in a furious attack more than expected, resulting in partial cards that tried to undermine Lydia Ko’s privileged position.
First it was China’s Ruoning Yin who proposed 4 under par in 6 holes; then it was Australia’s Hannah Green who stalked the lead with another equally brilliant option, another 4 under par in 8 holes … and so many, many more aggressive candidates, proposals and more proposals that were unsuccessful before an unperturbed Lydia Ko.
Germany’s Esther Henseleit, with 7 under par on the last day, and China’s Xiyu Lin with -3, also joined the party, putting in trouble those who continued to exhibit serenity as a philosophy of life, even when a double bogey on the 13th hole seemed to undermine all the foundations built over three and a half days adhering to the most impassive calm.
The predicament, however, was a mirage. The German Henseleit, author of the best round of the day (66 strokes), was biting her nails in the clubhouse during the 45 minutes of obligatory wait before Lydia Ko finished her round.
Separated by just one stroke, she longed for some additional error, some even temporary faintness, but Lydia Ko again opted for calm and discretion. Away from tense gestures or euphoria, the New Zealander starred in a quiet course in her final five holes, allowing herself the luxury of registering a birdie on her final hole to reaffirm herself as an Olympic gold medalist, possibly the most beautiful way to build a legend of her own that will last in time.
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Thirteenth place for Azahara Muñoz, best Spaniard
Not far from those privileged positions, related to medals and Olympic diplomas, Azahara Muñoz, thirteenth classified, shone with her own light on the final day with her third consecutive 69.
The Spanish golfer was an example of conviction and courage, serenity and poise, taking advantage of the opportunities created by her own good game. It was a matter of completing a patient reaction started on the second day to compensate for an opening round of 78 strokes that led her almost to hell.
The comeback came to the surface definitively in a last round where the applause with which she was received after finishing the 18th hole contained her well-deserved prize. It was time to enjoy, to externalize all the good things, to proclaim to the four winds the satisfaction for a job well done.
A bogey on the 8th hole had been left behind, compensated at length by four birdies that led the Malaga-born player to be considered the best Spaniard, to fight seriously for a diploma… to feel truly satisfied. “I have made a spectacular comeback,” summed up Azahara Muñoz with a gleam of pride in her eyes.
On the other hand, Carlota Ciganda was once again far from the spotlight, also on the last day, in which she had set herself the lesser evil of lowering the par of the course. The Navarrese tried with a game that did not acquire the necessary luster, dangerously alternating hits with errors. All until the last three holes, a painful succession of three bogeys that definitively buried her round.
The messy experience, reflected in cards of 73, 78 and two 75s for 13 over par, was reflected in her words: “I am very sorry, but the course has beaten me every day and I have a bad taste in my mouth”.
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