2024 Olympic women’s golf final-round preview (Aug. 10): Nelly Korda has history on her side

As the Olympic women’s golf competition draws to a thrilling close, recent performances hint at an unforgettable finale. The tournament has offered a rich tapestry of narratives: from well-known stars to newcomers, from established champions to those ready to retire. With talent spread across an international leaderboard, the final round promises to be a dramatic conclusion to this event.

 

Among the standout stories is that of Nelly Korda, the reigning gold medalist. Korda’s journey this week has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows, demonstrating both her resilience and her ability to perform under pressure. After a rocky start in the third round, where she bogeyed two of her first three holes and struggled with a water hazard on the opening hole, Korda showed remarkable recovery. Despite a birdie at the sixth hole, her front nine was marked by inconsistency, including a notable birdie from 82 yards out at the par-4 seventh.

 

Korda’s performance continued to fluctuate. She made birdies at Nos. 9, 14, and 15 to narrow the gap to just two strokes off the lead. However, her day was marred by a quadruple bogey at the 16th hole and a bogey at the 17th on Thursday. She finished with a 2-under 70 after missing a birdie opportunity at the par-5 18th hole. This sequence of events illustrated both her ability to recover from setbacks and the challenges she faced throughout the tournament.

 

Korda’s prominence in women’s golf is undeniable. She holds the world No. 1 ranking and has secured six wins this year alone. Her journey in the final round of the LPGA Drive On Championship in January 2024 is particularly notable. In that event, Korda, trailing Lydia Ko by three shots with only two holes remaining, made an eagle-birdie finish to force a playoff, which she eventually won. This dramatic turnaround marked the beginning of what would become an extraordinary season for her.

 

Another compelling storyline is Lydia Ko’s pursuit of her own Olympic gold. Ko, who has previously earned silver and bronze medals in the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Games respectively, is aiming to complete her collection with a gold medal in Paris. At 27 years old, she is also on the brink of achieving LPGA Hall of Fame eligibility, contingent on her collecting one more point. Ko’s preparation for the Olympics included significant mental and emotional fortification; she even deleted Instagram to minimize distractions and drew inspiration from Simone Biles’ documentary, “Simone Biles: Rising.” Ko was particularly moved by Biles’ notion of “writing her own ending,” which resonated deeply with her as she navigates her own Olympic challenge.

 

In addition to Ko and Korda, several other players are in contention and have their own compelling stories. Rose Zhang, a 21-year-old American prodigy, has achieved remarkable success across various levels of golf. Tied for third place with Japan’s Miyu Yamashita, Zhang’s consistent performance throughout her career makes a medal seem like a fitting next step.

 

Mariajo Uribe, at 34, has announced that this will be her final competitive appearance. The Colombian golfer, known for her passionate play, is currently in sixth place, just two shots behind the podium. Her farewell performance adds an extra layer of emotion to her participation.

 

Home crowd favorite Celine Boutier of France is also in the mix. Boutier’s strong finish to the third round, with birdies on her last three holes, brought her to 4 under par, placing her three shots off the podium. Like her compatriot Victor Perez, who benefited from local support last week, Boutier is set to leverage the energy of the home crowd in her final push.

 

At the top of the leaderboard, Morgane Metraux of Switzerland has shown resilience and skill. Despite a few wobbles, Metraux has stayed close to the lead, even outlasting the challenges with a gutsy eagle on the last hole of the third round, leveling her with Ko. The pressure of the final round will be a significant test for her and all the leading contenders.

 

As the Olympic women’s golf competition heads into its final round, the myriad storylines and the stakes involved ensure that the outcome will be watched with bated breath. From Korda’s quest to reclaim her form to Ko’s pursuit of a career-capping gold, and the narratives of emerging and retiring players, the stage is set for an exhilarating conclusion to this prestigious event.