Briton's triumph was Justin time for golf 's return

From the top step of the podium, Britain's Justin Rose bowed his head as the Olympic gold medal was placed around his neck.

Then he stared at it for the longest time.

Even for a major champion, this was more than he ever imagined.

"It's a moment you've seen in many other sports," Rose said on Sunday. "The medal ceremony is what it's all about, really."

This was why the 36-year-old Englishman circled the Rio Games on his calendar all along, even as some of the biggest names in golf began pulling out.

Rose came to Rio to watch, and to win.

And when his turn came, he delivered a golden performance worthy of a 112-year wait.

The final round was so tense that no one led by more than one shot until Rose hit a 40-yard pitching wedge to three feet - a shot every bit as significant as his 4-iron from 229 yards on the 18th hole at Merion when he won the 2013 US Open.

The birdie gave him a 4-under 67 and a two-shot victory over Sweden's Henrik Stenson to win golf's first gold medal since George Lyon won it for Canada at the 1904 Games in St. Louis.

Matt Kuchar of the United States closed with a 63 to win the bronze.

As his final putt dropped into the cup, Rose thrust his fist into the air and popped the British crest on his shirt before turning to embrace Stenson.

He raised both arms, pumped his fist again and took a bow.

"The reality is incredible. The reality hasn't sunk in," Rose said.

"The whole week, I've been so focused. I've been up for it. I've been just so determined, I suppose, to represent Team GB as best as I could. And it was just the most magical week."

Stenson already faced one duel this summer at Royal Troon to win the British Open with the lowest score in major championship history.

Deep in the round, the Swede said his spine locked up on him. He was stretching on all fours on the 13th and a physiotherapist worked on him at the 14th, where a poor chip cost him the lead. Stenson kept firing away, however, tying Rose with a pitch to four feet for birdie on the 16th.

They were tied coming to the final hole, fans lining both sides of the fairway, exactly the moment and atmosphere golf needed to make a good impression on the International Olympic Committee.

Stenson's pitch from 50 yards came up short, just over 20 feet away, and then Rose delivered what amounted to the winner.

Knowing that Rose was in tight for birdie, Stenson rammed his birdie putt some seven feet by the cup and missed the par putt, giving him a 3-under 68.

"He made a birdie and I didn't, and that's why he's got a gold medal and I got a silver," Stenson said.

It's not nearly as valuable as his claret jug from Royal Troon, but still special.

"We said that all along in the Olympics, you've got some pretty good consolation prizes," Stenson said.

Golf organizations lobbied hard to get the sport back into the Olympics, only for some of the biggest stars - including the top four in the world - to withdraw in the month leading up to Rio for reasons that ranged from fears over the Zika virus to security.

The 60 players who came, dressed in their country colors and team bags - and three medals at the end of the week - showed what the absentees were missing.

"This is one of the greatest golf trips I've ever been on," said Bubba Watson, who had planned to stay in private housing until moving into the Olympic Village on Tuesday because he didn't want to miss out on the experience.

Even better was seeing a teammate make his way to the medal stand.

"We're asked to play for our country and he pulled us through today," Watson said. "I'm so proud Matt got the bronze."

For once, Kuchar proud to finish third

Golf's bronze medalist Matt Kuchar almost didn't make the Olympics.

The US veteran only climbed into the world top 15 in early July, which put him into contention for one of his country's four spots. But he still had compatriots Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth, ahead of him.

When both said they would not go to Rio because of health concerns, Kuchar squeezed by to take the final spot.

And he's so glad he did.

"I was just on the outside and barely qualified," he said on Sunday after finishing three strokes behind Justin Rose, golf's first Olympic champion in 112 years.

"I have never been so proud of a third-place finish in my life. I can assure you it is the happiest I have ever been finishing third."

Kuchar said he drew a lot of inspiration from watching the performance of his country's representatives in the men's tennis doubles bronze medal match on Friday.

"We were sitting in the players' box and Team USA won and the boys came running and jumping up into the box," Kuchar said.

Kuchar, 38, adds a bronze to an impressive resume that includes seven PGA Tour wins and three appearances in both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.

A major championship still eludes him, however.An avid table tennis player who has faced off against Olympians in friendly matches, Kuchar said he is hoping to buy an Olympic ping-pong table when he returns to the US.

Justin Rose of Britain celebrates winning the gold medal after Sunday's final round of the men's golf tournament. Chris Carlson / Ap

(China Daily 08/16/2016 page5)