C.T. Pan produced a par at the fourth playoff hole to secure a bronze medal for Chinese Taipei.
C.T. Pan Overcomes Seven Man Playoff To Claim Bronze Medal
In an amazing final day, it was C.T. Pan who would secure the final podium position, overcoming Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama, Sebastián Muñoz and Mito Pereira in the first ever seven man playoff.
After playing three playoff holes, the Chinese Taipei star would make a superb par at the fourth playoff hole to secure the countries eighth medal of the games.
Pan celebrates his putt on the 18th green. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
It had been an enthralling final day’s action, with Morikawa and Pan both shooting 63 to get to the 15-under-par tournament total.
They were joined by McIlroy, Muñoz and Pereira, who both shot 67’s, Casey who produced a 68 and home country favourite, Matsuyama, who delivered a 69.
At the first playoff hole, the four ball of Pan, Muñoz, Morikawa and Pereira would all make par, with the quartet tapping in gimme range putts.
In the following group, it would be Masters champion, Matsuyama and 15-time European Tour winner, Casey, who would bow out of the playoff. With both making bogies at the 18th hole.
Casey would fall just short for Team GB. (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
The five players would then move onto the par-3 10th, with all five producing solid pars to advance to the 11th and third playoff hole.
With all hitting relatively good drives, Morikawa demonstrated his laser-like iron play, almost slam dunking his approach shot into the hole.
But his likely victory was cut short, with Pan almost holing his approach shot too, both leaving themselves gimme range putts for birdie.
Pereira and McIlroy followed with their approach shots, although both their six-foot birdie attempts came up shy, with Muñoz also out of the running alongside the duo.
So, it would come down to Pan and the Champion Golfer of the Year, Morikawa, who took first advantage, with his drive in the more favourable position.
Morikawa could only advance his ball a few yards onto the green on the fourth playoff hole. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
Pan, however, would pump his second shot from the rough to pin high of the flag, leaving himself a relatively straight forward up-and down from the left of the green.
And it was soon advantage to the 29-year-old, with Morikawa chunking his approach shot into the greenside bunker, with The Open champion faced with one of the worst plugged lies you will ever see.
Doing well to splash the shot out, the 24-year-old would lag his putt to the hole, leaving Pan a six-footer for the bronze medal, which he would duly roll in for a four and one of the biggest moments of his career.
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