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Japan's Mone Inami took the silver in a playoff with New
Zealand's bronze medallist Lydia Ko, the home favourite bringing
her proud coach to tears at Kasumigaseki Country Club.
But there was no fairytale finish for India's world number 200
Aditi Ashok, who was second after the third round but ended a
heart-breaking fourth having raised her country's medal hopes.
Korda's gold, six days after compatriot Xander Schauffele won
the men's event, gave her family another precious heirloom to
rival father Petr's Australian Open tennis trophy.
"It feels amazing ... It's surreal," the world number one told
reporters after finishing with a 69 for a 17-under total of 267.
"It was very stressful but I kept it together, I fought pretty
hard.
"It's safe to say I really enjoyed my first Olympic experience."
It was a nervous finish, with Inami (65) grabbing a share of the
lead on the 17th before play was suspended due to a risk of
lightning.
But the home hope bogeyed 18 to restore Korda's one-stroke
buffer as she shot for the final green. The American landed her
second in regulation and two-putted for par to secure gold.
Korda's older sister Jessica, who finished tied for 15th, did a
little dance before hugging 23-year-old Nelly on the green as
their U.S. team mates cheered.
It continues Korda's annus mirabilis, having clinched her first
major and the world number one ranking at the Women's PGA
Championship in June.
"Honestly, it's crazy," she said. "I think I'll look back at the
season after the season is done... When I do look back, it's
just crazy."
The Korda family can look forward to plenty more sporting
success, with Jessica a six-times winner on the LPGA Tour in her
own right and younger brother Sebastian a title-winner on the
ATP tennis tour at the age of 21.
'HUGE HONOUR'
The tournament was Korda's to lose when she extended her lead to
four strokes with an early birdie but former world number one Ko
quickly narrowed the gap to two after a fourth successive birdie
on the fifth hole.
With Ashok also nipping at Korda's heels, the American imploded
with a double-bogey on the seventh, needing three attempts to
chip over a ledge onto the green.
Falling to 14-under with Ko and Ashok, Korda tossed her putter
at her bag and strode to the next tee fuming.
But she shook off that setback with a stunning 21-foot birdie
putt on the eighth, then regained the outright lead with a
curling, eight-foot putt downhill on the ninth.
A galvanized Korda soon led by three when Ko stumbled with
back-to-back bogeys on 10 and 11, but Inami then made her
charge, rolling in a 14-foot birdie putt on the 17th to grab a
share of the lead.
Inami's challenge fell away when she plugged her approach into a
greenside bunker on the 18th but she returned to the hole to win
silver in the playoff when Rio silver medallist Ko slid a par
putt by the cup.
"The Olympics is a very special occasion ... it’s a huge honour
to be able to bring two medals for New Zealand," said Ko.
(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Writing by Ian Ransom; Editing by
Peter Rutherford)
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