Pieters just misses medal in Rio

Stunning season sees fourth place for long-hitting Belgian

Thomas Pieters from Belgium may not have collected an Olympic medal in Rio de Janeiro, but boy did he play well on the Olympic Golf Course. The 24-year old from Antwerp was one of two Belgian golfers competing in Rio (11-14 August). Together with fellow long-hitter on the European Tour, Nicolas Colsaerts, Pieters played an exciting role during golf’s historic return to the Olympic Games after 112 years.

Winner of the KLM Open in Holland last year, Pieters settled down to the Olympic challenge with two very impressive opening rounds. He carded 67-66 to get to 9-under par and second place, just one shot off the lead set by Australian Marcus Fraser.

‘Moving day’, as round three on Saturday is often referred to on Tour, proved a disaster for the young Belgian. After taking 77 strokes round the par 71 course, which was specially-built for the 2016 Rio Summer Games, he plummeted down the leaderboard and looked out of contention. Yet he kept his cool in the Brazilian heat and bounced back with a terrific closing round of 65, 6-under par, on Sunday. His tally of 275 earned him fourth position outright, one shot ahead of Aussie Fraser.

Holland’s Olympic hopes dashed

Holland’s Joost Luiten broke par on three occasions, but couldn’t break the magical 70. He finished on 282 after rounds of 72-70-70-70 for a disappointing share of 27th place. Next stop on his schedule, after some time off, is the KLM Open back in Holland (8-11 September).

Thomas Pieters may not have won a medal in these Games, but it was a terrific performance – an Olympics that he and Belgium can be proud of. He is in a rich vein of form right now which is good timing. In a few weeks’ time, he’ll be defending his Dutch Open title over the ‘inland links’ of ‘The Dutch’ where he could well find himself going head-to-head with a well-rested local hero, the 2013 Dutch champion, Joost Luiten.

Wendy Hoad

OLYMPIC MEDALS: Men’s Individual Olympic Golf Event

GOLD MEDAL Justin Rose, Great Britain Score: 268 (67-69-65-67)

SILVER MEDAL Henrik Stenson, Sweden Score: 270 (66-68-68-68)

BRONZE MEDAL Matt Kuchar, America Score: 271 (69-70-69-63)

OTHER SCORES:

4. Thomas Pieters, Belgium (275)

T5. Marcus Fraser, Australia; Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Thailand; Rafa Cabrera Bello, Spain (276)

T8. Sergio Garcia, Spain; Bubba Watson, America; Emiliano Grillo, Argentina (277)

T11. An Byeong-hun, Zuid Korea (278)

SELECTED SCORES:

T27. Joost Luiten (The Netherlands) 282

T30. Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) 283

T37. Danny Willett (Great Britain) 284

PICTURED: Thomas Pieters on his way to victory in the KLM Open last season.

NEXT OLYMPIC GOLF DATE: Women’s Olympic Golf is NOW in progress (17-20 August)!