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The 2021 Olympic Women’s Golf Competition took place at the Kasumigaseki Country Club August 3-6. A total of 60 competitors from 35 countries competed on the par 71 layout of 6648 yards.

First Round

The heat and humidity were brutal as real feel temperature reached as high as 111. Scoring was still excellent, despite the conditions. Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden took the lead with a 66 which included four-under on the front nine. She held a one-shot lead over Aditi Ashok of India and Nelly Korda, who had six birdies and two bogeys. Matilda Castrin of Finland, Jin Young Ko of South Korea and Carlota Ciganda of Spain were just two shots off the pace. Wei-Ling Tsu of Taiwan was five-under after six, but went three over par the rest of the way and was in a group of eight at two-under. Others at two-under included 2016 gold medal winner Inbee Park, Danielle Kang, and Sei Young Kim. Among seven players at one-under were Nasa Hatoka and Mone Inami of Japan, and 2016 silver medal winner Lydia Ko of New Zealand. A 13-player logjam at even included the liked of Jessica Korda, Minjee Lee of Australia, Gaby Lopez of Mexico, and Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand. While scoring was generally very good, some top names struggled including Lexi Thompson (one-over), Shanshan Feng, Yuka Saso, and Brooke Henderson (three-over), and Ariya Jutanugarn (six-over).

Second Round

The intense heat continued, but the weather in Tokyo wasn’t as hot as Nelly Korda, who flirted with a round of 59. After four birdies and an eagle on the front and four birdies on the back, Korda enters the final hole needing a birdie. A double-bogey ended the quest for a 59, but Korda still finished with a round of 62 and a four-shot lead at 13-under par.

Denmark’s Nanna Koertz Madesen and Emily Pedersen shot rounds of 64 and 63, respectively and were tied with Aditi Ashok at nine-under par. First round leader Madelene Sagstrom posted a solid round of 68 and was five shots off the pace at eight-under par. A 65 from Mone Inami put her in the mix at seven-under par along with Jin Young Ko. Hannah Green of Australia hunted the flag all day and was in at six-under after a round of 65. Xiyu Lin of China eagled the par five ninth and posted a 66 to get her to five-under at the midway point.

In a large group of 13 at four-under par included Shanshan Feng, who posted a stellar round of 64. She was included by notables such as Danielle Kang, Sei Young Kim, and Jessica Korda. Inbee Park was ten shots off the pace in her attempt to repeat as champion. Brooke Hednerson, Patty Tavatanakit, and Yuka Saso were at even par. Lexi Thompson was at one over par and Ariya Jutanugarn, who was ten shots better in round two, was tied for 43rd at two-over.

Third Round

The round of the day was a 65 shot by Daniela Darquea of Ecuador. She was five-under par on the front nine holes including an eagle on the par four 6th. She finished with a 65 and was tied for 25th at three-under. Also at three-under were Min Lee of Chinese Taipei, Inbee Park, and Klara Spilkova of the Czech Republic.

Nelly Korda maintained the lead following a round of 69 that included three birdies and a bogey. At 15-under par, she held a three-shot cushion over Aditi Ashok, who shot a round of 68. Lydia Ko, who shot a 66, along with Hannah Green, Mone Imani, and Emily Pedersen were tied in bronze medal position at 10-under par. Still in the hunt for a spot on the podium were Nasa Hataoka, Nanna Koertz Madsen, and Madelene Sagstrom at eight-under par. A group of five including Shanshan Feng, Sei Young Kim, and Jin Young Ko were just three shots out of medal position at seven-under.

Ablane Valenzuela of Switzerland posted one of the best round of the day. Her round of 67 included five birdies and she was tied 16th at six-under par. Yuka Saso posted a 67 and was in a group of five at four-under par. Maria Fassi of Italy led a group of five at two-under par.

Notables include Danielle Kang, Minjee Lee, Gaby Lopez, and Lexi Thompson at one-over, and Brooke Henderson and Ariya Jutanugarn at even par.

Final Round

Several players went low in their quest for a spot on the podium. Jessica Korda posted a 64 and Yuka Saso shot a 65, finishing tied for 15th and 11th, respectively. But it was Jessica’s sister Nelly, who was battling Mone Inami, Lydia Ko, and Aditi Ashok for the gold medal. A weather delay didn’t greatly interfere with the dramatics at the end.

Inami made a charge on the back nine, posting birdies on 12 through 15 and on 17. She hit her approach on 18 into the greenside bunker. With a buried, uphill lie in the wet sand, Inami’s pitch left her with a long putt for par. A make would force Korda to birdie 18 for the gold medal. After a missed putt, it was up to Lydia Ko to put pressure on Korda. Ko, who shot a 65 due to a torrid hot start, had a long putt for birdie. The putt was online but never had the speed. Aditi Ashok was in the mix and needed a birdie on 18 to get into a playoff for the final two medals. Her miss left her at 15-under par and alone in fourth place. After Korda, who shot a 69, lagged her birdie putt on 18 to a foot, tapped in for the gold medal. Inami and Ko went to sudden death playoff to determine the silver and bronze medals. Inami played a solid hole and recorded a par, while Ko got on in three and missed a par putt to extend the playoff. The platform was set with Korda receiving the gold, Inami the silver, and Ko the bronze.

Hannah Green and Emily Pedersen finished at 13-under par and Stephanie Meadow was alone in 7th at 12-under par. Shanshan Feng played a very solid final three rounds and posted a 67 for a total of 11-under and sole possession of 8th. Jin Young Ko, Sei Young Kim, Nanna Koertz Madsen, Xiyu Lin , and Yuka Saso finished at 10-under par.

Notables include Danielle Kang and Madelene Sagstrom (seven-under), Anna Nordqvist, Inbee Park, Patty Tavatanakit (five-under), Brooke Henderson (four-under), Lexi Thompson (three-under), and Ariya Jutanugarn (one-over).