Mone Inami won Japan's first Olympic golf medal when she emerged from a playoff against New Zealand's Lydia Ko on Saturday, both players finishing one shot behind gold medalist Nelly Korda of the United States.

Inami beat Ko in a sudden-death playoff for silver after both players shot 6-under 65s and were tied for second on 16-under after 72 holes at Kasumigaseki Country Club, northwest of Tokyo.

Mone Inami of Japan hits off the second tee during the final round of the Tokyo Olympic women's golf tournament on Aug. 7, 2021, at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Korda, winner of the Women's PGA Championship in June, finished with a 69 for a 17-under total, helping the United States secure a gold medal sweep of golf following Xander Schauffele's triumph last week.

Korda is the first golfer to win a major title and Olympic gold in the same year.

It was the second golf playoff at these games after the men's event ended with a seven-way showdown for bronze on Sunday.

(From L) Silver medalist Mone Inami of Japan, gold medalist Nelly Korda of the United States and bronze medalist Lydia Ko of New Zealand pose with their medals for the women's golf at the Tokyo Olympics on Aug. 7, 2021, at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

"Carrying the weight of the Hinomaru (flag) and winning a medal is the best thing that happened to my life. I feel like I've accomplished an important mission," Inami said.

The 22-year-old turned professional in 2018 and had a breakthrough season in 2021, winning five of her seven Japan LPGA tour titles and raising her world ranking to a point that earned her an Olympic spot.

On the penultimate day of the Tokyo Olympics, two-time major champion Ko missed her par putt on the first playoff hole to fail in repeating her silver medal performance from the Rio Games. She adds a bronze to her medal collection.

Inami hit both fairway and green in the playoff, played on the 18th, two-putting for par on the hole she bogeyed when in a share of the tournament lead just minutes earlier.

"I had expected Lydia to make her par putt and move on to the 10th (for the second playoff hole) so I was bit surprised. But I have a 100 percent success rate in playoffs so once we were in a playoff I was ready to win," Inami said.

"The Olympics have always been a dream of mine, and I'm glad I was able to keep it from becoming a nightmare. I didn't imagine any of this. It's a miracle I even qualified."

Korda, who entered the day with a three-shot lead, stayed ahead for the whole round while Inami, Ko and India's Aditi Ashok were fighting for the silver medal position throughout.

Nelly Korda claims gold in the Tokyo Olympic women's golf tournament on Aug. 7, 2021, at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo. (Kyodo)

"It feels amazing. (Inami and Ko) both played super well, we're all bunched up there. It was very stressful, but I kept it together. I fought pretty hard," said Korda.

"(It was) probably the most stressed I've ever been in a final round. I can't compare it. I can't explain it, I wish I could. It's an amazing achievement."

Korda's older sister Jessica was also among the 60-woman field. She finished tied for 15th at 9-under. Their brother Sebastian qualified for the U.S. Olympic tennis team but declined a spot, choosing to stay focused on tour events.

Ashok had a real shot at winning India's first-ever Olympic medal in golf as she was tied for third when rain and the threat of thunderstorms delayed play for about 30 minutes in the afternoon. She finished fourth at 15-under after shooting four rounds in the 60s, a stellar performance for a player ranked 200 in the world.

Japan's Nasa Hataoka was in a group of six players tied for ninth on 10-under, which included Yuka Saso, the first major winner from the Philippines.

The half-Japanese Saso shot a 74 in her opening round but bounced back with a 68, 67 and a Saturday 65 to roar up the leaderboard in her Olympic debut.

The women's golf tournament, like other Olympic events, had already faced delays in earlier rounds due to the intense Japanese summer heat. The final round started at 6:30 a.m., an hour earlier than originally scheduled to avoid the worst of it.


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