Golf Medals Awarded in Sport's Return to Olympic Stage

(ATR) It had been 110 years since Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded in the sport of golf.

That changed on Thursday, with the conclusion of men’s and women’s Youth Olympics golf tournaments, a prelude to the sport’s return to the grander stage in Rio 2016.

Italian Renato Paratore and South Korean Soyoung Lee became the first-ever YOG golf champions, winning their respective three-round, stroke play tournaments at the Zhongshan International Golf Club in the Nanjing suburbs.

"It’s so good because it is the first time after a lot of years that golf is in the Olympic Games, so I am really happy," Paratore said moments after the victory.

Paratore, 17, won in dramatic fashion, sinking birdie putts on holes 17 and 18 to surpass Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult.

Paratore’s father vociferously chanted "Italia, Italia," after his son drained his putt on 18 to take a one shot advantage over Kinhult.

He fired a closing round 66 to finish at minus 11, two shots better than the Swedish silver medalist, who missed a long birdie putt on 18 that would have sent the tournament to a playoff.

"I would like to play in the Olympic Games someday. It’s difficult but I think I can," said the Rome-based golfer.

"The whole Olympic thing is so cool," said Kinhult, when asked about the camaraderie between golfers and atmosphere around the club. "The golf course here is great as well," he said about the lengthy, 7,004-yard, par 72 course. "I’ve enjoyed the whole week so far."

Danthai Boonma of Thailand earned the bronze medal, winning a two-hole playoff for to grab third spot ahead of Norway's Viktor Hovland.

In the ladies tournament - played simultaneously in a fan-friendly format on the same course - Soyoung Lee was the class of the field. The 17-year-old played a near-flawless closing round, carding 65 to finish at -14, three strokes ahead of Ssu-Chia Sangchan of the Chinese Taipei.

"I was trying hard not to thinkabout winning a gold medal after yesterday’s round and that made me play stable today," Lee said through a translator after her victory. "I’m pretty happy about today’s round, playing 18 holes without making a bogey."

"When I was young, I never thought about playing in the Olympic Games, but now I realized that the dream has come true," Lee said. "This definitely is the biggest win of my career."

Supamas Sangchan of Thailand claimed the bronze medal, giving the non-traditional golf nation two medals on Thursday.

Golf President Hails Success

International Golf Federation president Antony Scanlon said that the sport’s YOG debut in Nanjing has been a success so far.

"I’ll judge it on the players' reactions and their smiles," Scanlon told Around the Rings. "They’re really happy and still excited. I think they’re looking forward to having a break though; the heat has taken a lot out of them."

Thirty-two boys and 29 girls from 34 nations completed the three-round, stroke-play tournament on the pristine course.

Although there wasn’t an overwhelming number of fans surrounding the 18th green, those braving the afternoon sun and sweltering heat enthusiastically applauded the young golfers when appropriate.

Britain's IOC vice-president Craig Reedie watched the tournaments conclude from just behind the 18th green and awarded the medals at the post-event ceremony.

"The golf course looks lovely and the golfers are enjoying it," Reedie said. "I get the impression that every young athlete at the Youth Olympic Games is thoroughly enjoying themselves."

Golf continues at the YOG after a two-day break, as the dual gender mixed team event tees off on Sunday.

Reported by Brian Pinelli in Nanjing.

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