FENG SHANSHAN clinched the first medal for Chinese golfers at the Olympic Games after the final round of the women’s event Saturday, while South Korean Park In-Bee, world No. 5, maintained her leading position to last hole to win the gold medal.

    As women’s golf returned to the Olympic stage after 116 years, Feng claimed the bronze medal with a total score of 274, 10-under-par. Park was the winner with 268.

    “I didn’t play very well for the first half of this year, with my LPGA ranking out of top 10. Coming into this week, I didn’t expect a medal but just wanted to enjoy the game and try to focus on shot by shot.

    “At the end I got a medal, so I felt that all of my hard work has paid off, and I felt really happy about it,” said Feng.

    Placed at fourth, with three-under-par, after the third round, Feng saw the gap extend to six shots as she finished two birdies and one bogey. Park recorded four birdies in the first nine holes of Saturday’s session.

    Feng cut the deficit to three shots after the 12th hole, but saw her chance fading away after her bogey and Park’s birdie on the 13th hole.

    After seeing the gold medal getting further and further out of reach, Feng focused on her tense matchup with world No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand as both golfers were tied before the final hole.

    Feng had a par-5 on the 18th hole, wasting another chance after Lydia finished with a decisive birdie. Lydia took home the silver medal with a total score of 273.

    “I wasted a good chance to finish a birdie on the 18th hole, but throughout the match, I tried to focus on every shot. In this aspect, I fared well this week,” said Feng.

    Feng’s medal will undoubtedly helpful to promote the development of golf in China.

    “China is a very strong country in sports, claiming many gold, silver and bronze medals in the Olympics. Maybe my bronze medal doesn’t mean that much to the whole number, but to myself, it means a lot, because Golf is back in the Olympics after over 100 years.

    “This is actually the first time that Chinese athletes are competing in this event at Olympic Games. For four of us here, if anybody had a good result, it would really change everything about golf in China. Finally, I did it, which makes me happier about it,” commented Feng.

    Another Chinese golfer Lin Xiyu, who finished the first hole-in-one in women’s event of the Olympic Games, placed 38th with 69 Saturday.

    Justin Rose of Britain claimed the gold medal in the men’s event Aug. 14. Two Chinese golfers, Wu Ashun and Li Haotong, finished 30th and 50th, respectively.

    (Xinhua)