Golden girl

New Zealand star Lydia Ko won gold at the Paris Olympics.

The 27-year-old, who is a two-time winner of the Smyth Salver as the lowest amateur at the AIG Women's Open, finished on 10-under-par at Le Golf National, two strokes clear of Germany's Esther Henseleit who was awarded silver.

China's Lin Xiyu was a further stroke adrift and collected bronze.

It completes the set of Olympic medals for Lydia, as she won silver in Rio in 2016 and then bronze in Tokyo in 2021.

The gold medal has also sealed her place in the Ladies Professional Golf Association Hall of Fame.

Lydia said: "I had the most unbelievable experience in my three times playing the Olympics.

“To be holding gold right now, it's crazy. I can't believe it.”

Two-time major champion Ko shared the 54-hole lead with Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux.

But a tumultuous front nine – which included a triple-bogey seven on the 5th – saw Morgane fall away rapidly, eventually finishing in a tie for 18th place.

Lydia found water on the 13th, and had to dig deep when her five-shot lead looked under threat – but she clinched gold with birdie in the par-5 18th.

Lydia will be in action at St Andrews in less than two weeks’ time when she tees off in the AIG Women’s Open.

It will be the third time the Championship has been staged at the home of golf.