China's Feng takes first golf medal for country

From left, Lydia Ko of New Zealand holds her silver medal, Inbee Park of?the ROK?holds her gold medal and Feng Shanshan of China holds her bronze medal following women's Olympic golf competition in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday. [Photo/Agencies]

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Feng Shanshan clinched the first medal for Chinese golfers at the Olympic Games after the final round of women's event here on 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 of 10-under-par 274. 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 ten. Coming into this week, I didn't expect a medal but just enjoy the game and try to focus on shot by shot.

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

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

Feng once cut the deficit to three shots after the 12th hole, while seeing her chance fading away after her bogey and Park's birdie in the 13th hole.

After seeing the gold medal further and further, Feng was involved in a tense matchup with world No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand as both golfers tied before the final hole.

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

"I wasted a good chance to finish a birdie in the 18th hole, but throughout the match, I try to focus on every shot. From this point, I fared well during this week," said Feng.

Feng's medal was 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, beacuse it's back to Olympics after over 100 years.

"This is actually the first time that Chinese athletes to compete in this event at Olympic Games. For four of us here, if anybody can have a good result, it will really change everything of golf in China. Finally I did it, which made me happier about it," commented Feng.

Another Chinse golfer Lin Xiyu, who finished the first hole-in-one in women's event of the Olympic Games, sat the 38th with 69 on Saturday.

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