LeBlanc and Mehaffey look to Mixed in Youth Olympics
Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult., Italy's Renato Paratore and Thailand’s Danthai Boonma show off their Olympic medals
The Island's Kevin LeBlanc closed with a one over 73 to finish tied 16th on one over par in the Men’s Individual Stroke Play at the Youth Olympic Games in China.
And there was no luck either for Royal County Down Ladies' Olivia Mehaffey as a closing 79 left her tied for 20th on 11 over at Zhongsong International Golf Club in Nanjing.
Mehaffey and LeBlanc are now looking forward to the Mixed event — foursomes, fourballs and singles — which begins on Sunday.
Kevin LeBlanc's scorecards
Italy’s Renato Paratore overturned a three shot deficit, closing with two birdies to card a six under 66 to win gold in the Men’s event on 11 under par from Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult.
Paratore, ranked fifth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, birdied the 17th and 18th to go from being one behind to one in front and then had a nervous wait as Kinhult came down the 18th.
“I played really good on the long game and putted well today,” he said. “I knew I was one off the lead when I was playing 17, so I knew I had to make two birdies to win. I was really pleased to make the birdies, one from ten metres and one from six.
“I was nervous watching Marcus playing the last hole but it is really nice to win the gold medal. My father is here and he is really excited for me. I can't believe it. I’m very happy.”
Thailand’s Danthai Boonma started the day in second and shot 73 and looked set to miss out on a medal until Norway’s Victor Hovland bogied the 18th meaning the two players would play-off for the bronze medal.
It took two trips down the 18th to separate the pair but following a poor tee shot Hovland missed the green short right while Boonma hit it pin high to 10 feet. Hovland couldn’t get up and down, allowing Boonma a simple two putt for bronze.
Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Ssu-Chia, South Korea's Lee Soyoung and Supamas Sangchan from Thailand with their medals.
In the Women's Strokeplay, South Korea's Lee Soyoung played a near perfect final round to claim the gold medal.
With no bogies and seven birdies the 17-year-old shot 65 to finish 14-under-par and three ahead of her nearest rival, Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Ssu-Chia.
Supamas Sangchan, from Thailand, finished four shots further back to claim the bronze.
Olivia Mehaffey's scorecards.
The three medalists finished clear of the field with Virginia Elena Carta of Italy and Germany’s Olivia Cowan next best placed on two-under-par.
Lee said, “I was trying hard not to think about the Gold Medal. I played really solid today and made seven birdies and no bogeys.
“To win the first Olympic Gold Medal in golf in more than 100 years, even though it is the Youth Olympic Games, is an amazing feeling.”
Youth Olympic Games, Zhongsong International Golf Club in Nanjing
Men's Individual Stroke Play — Final
- Gold PARATORE Renato ITA 72 67 66 205 -11
- Silver KINHULT Marcus SWE 66 72 69 207 -9
- Bronze BOONMA Danthai THA 67 70 73 210 -6
(Play-off for Bronze medal: BOONMA Danthai 4, 4 HOVLAND Viktor 4)
4 HOVLAND Viktor NOR 68 68 74 210 -6
5 LINDELL Oliver FIN 73 72 67 212 -4
5 PULTZ PINNERUPAXE DEN 70 74 68 212 -4
5 LIEBICH Jonas GER 69 77 66 212 -4
5 GAREWAL Feroz IND 73 69 70 212 -4
5 COLETTA Brett AUS 66 72 74 212 -4
10 DOU Zecheng CHN 69 73 71 213 -3
10 STIRN Zan Luka SLO 70 71 72 213 -3
12 YU Chun-An TPE 69 73 72 214 -2
13 HUA Devin GUM 70 74 71 215 -1
13 MACINTYRE Robert GBR 69 75 71 215 -1
15 COXON Nick NZL 71 71 74 216 PAR
16 Le BLANC Kevin IRL 73 71 73 217 +1
16 KEUNEN Lars NED 73 73 71 217 +1
18 LOW Khai Jei MAS 71 74 73 218 +2
18 GARCIA Jorge VEN 73 73 72 218 +2
20 YOUM Eun Ho KOR 72 71 76 219 +3
20 CANTERO GUTIERREZ Ivan ESP 70 73 76 219 +3
22 GIL Tony CAN 69 75 76 220 +4
22 TERRAZAS MORALES Aaron MEX 73 78 69 220 +4
24 ELISSALDE Paul FRA 69 77 78 224 +8
25 McCLATCHIE Kyle James RSA 81 73 72 226 +10
26 CABARCOS Marcos PAN 80 74 74 228 +12
27 OKAZAKI Ren JPN 81 75 73 229 +13
28 de BONDT Alan BEL 77 78 79 234 +18
29 LAM Lucas Chadwick HKG 79 81 81 241 +25
30 PENNINGTON James SWZ 77 95 85 257 +41
31 KIRIA Rayman Winston Nicolas COK 92 91 85 268 +52
32 SCHWAB Johannes AUT 100 93 88 281 +65
Women's Individual Stroke Play — Final
- Gold LEE Soyoung KOR 69 68 65 202 -14
- Silver CHENG Ssu-Chia TPE 69 70 66 205 -11
- Bronze SANGCHAN Supamas THA 73 66 70 209 -7
4 COWAN Olivia GER 76 69 69 214 -2
4 CARTAVirginia Elena ITA 69 75 70 214 -2
6 PEDERSEN Emily Kristine DEN 75 73 67 215 -1
7 ALVAREZ Julianne NZL 70 73 74 217 +1
8 MEICHTRY Azelia SUI 73 75 70 218 +2
8 SHINOHARA Maria JPN 69 74 75 218 +2
10 VEYSSEYRE Marion FRA 71 74 74 219 +3
11 ASHOKAditi IND 74 70 76 220 +4
12 BARQUIN AROZAMENA Celia ESP 73 75 73 221 +5
12 STROM Linnea SWE 75 73 73 221 +5
12 MERCHAN Maria Andreina VEN 71 73 77 221 +5
15 SZERYK Madeline CAN 74 74 74 222 +6
15 FASSI ALVAREZ Maria Jose MEX 72 75 75 222 +6
17 TAM Kitty HKG 78 70 75 223 +7
17 BELAC Ana SLO 76 72 75 223 +7
19 HARRYVAN Marit NED 71 75 78 224 +8
20 MEHAFFEY Olivia IRL 73 75 79 227 +11
20 AVELING Clara BEL 74 75 78 227 +11
22 NORDAAS Sandra NOR 73 77 79 229 +13
22 SALONEN Sandra FIN 76 76 77 229 +13
22 KAN Kah Yan MAS 79 74 76 229 +13
25 ZEITLER Lea AUT 79 76 75 230 +14
26 ELMASSIAN Elizabeth AUS 70 81 81 232 +16
26 GOICOECHEA RUIZ Sofia ARG 75 78 79 232 +16
28 VONGJALORN Nalathai GUM 81 78 84 243 +27
29 AKAMA Memory COK 88 94 99 281 +65
DSQ TELFER Kaleigh Dene RSA 82 DSQ
WD KGOMO Nosimilo SWZ
WD D|MMOCKAnnabe| GBR
