Sweden won the Gold Medal after a dramatic play-off victory over Korea in yesterday’s final round of the Mixed Team event at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympics at Zhongshan International Golf Club. There was also a play-off for the Bronze Medal with Italy edging out Denmark on the first extra hole.
The Swedish pairing of Marcus Kinhult, who won the Silver Medal in the Men’s Individual Stroke Play event last week, and Linnea Strom won on the second extra hole against Korea when the 18-year-old Kinhult holed an eight foot birdie putt on the par four 18th hole for a team score of eight.
“I feel so happy and proud winning the Gold Medal,” said Marcus. “It’s fun to play as a team and is more enjoyable than individual games. To be part of the team, to be part of the Olympics and to win the Gold Medal has been so much fun.”
Sweden did not get off to a good start when Strom double-bogeyed her first hole but she bounced back quickly, carding five birdies on the first nine. The Swedish Team posted 12 birdies before the decisive birdie on the second play-off hole.
“We never gave up and made a lot of birdies today,” added Linnea. “We had a lot of fun playing together as a team.”
The Korean team of Lee Soyoung, the Women’s Individual Stroke Play Gold Medalist, and Youm Eun Ho finished level with Sweden on 16-under-par. They trailed by one stroke coming down the 18th but Lee rolled in a 12 ft birdie putt to reach the play-off.
Both teams parred the first play-off hole. On the second, Lee’s approach shot from the fairway was short of the green and found a green side bunker. The ball was half embedded into the sand and she failed to find the green.
“Second place is a good achievement,” said Lee, “We are very happy to win the Silver Medal although we lost the play-off.”
“We tried our best but Sweden did better. They deserve to win,” added Youm.
The Italian team of Renato Paratore, who won Gold in the Men’s Individual Stroke Play, and Virginia Elena Carta came out on top in the play-off against Denmark’s John Paul Pultz Pinnerup Axelsen and Emily Kristine Pedersen by eight shots to nine at the first extra hole. Both teams had finished tied on 14-under-par.
“We are a little bit disappointed, we were hoping to win but we are ok with the Bronze Medal,” said Renato. “We played really well on the first nine but the second nine was very bad.”
Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee, attended the closing stages of the final round.
For the full leaderboard in the Youth Olympic Games Mixed Team Competition please visit: http://www.nanjing2014.org/en/en_sports/GamestimeResults.htm