RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Justin Rose delivered a gold-medal performance in golf that was worth a 112-year wait.
In a final round that was tense from the opening hole, Rose hit a pitch to 3 feet for birdie on the par-5 18th hole at Olympic Golf Course for a 4-under 67 and a two-shot victory over Henrik Stenson to win the first gold medal in golf since 1904 in St. Louis.
And the 36-year-old from Great Britain showed how much in mattered.
As the final putt fell into the cup, Rose thrust his fist into the air and popped the British crest on his shirt before turning to embrace Stenson.
Stenson already made it through one big duel this summer at Royal Troon to win the British Open. Along the back nine, the 40-year-old Swede’s back began to act up, and Stenson had a physiotherapist work on it on the 14th hole. He kept firing away, however, hitting a tough pitch to 4 feet for birdie on the 16th to tie for the lead.