Before the Olympic Games began, golf was already seen by many in Chile as the clearest option of a medal for the country. The figure of Niemann gained weight in that prediction, but the most visionary also put Guillermo Pereira into the equation. Joaco came to Tokyo as a PGA star. Myth, as a rookie on the most important tour in the world, but living an extraordinary present.
And as the days passed, it became increasingly clear that they were both going to fight. They were two different paths, but just as relevant. One shining from day one. The other overcoming problems and closing the last round with a phenomenal comeback.
But the truth is that national golf was the protagonist in Tokyo. He demonstrated the talent of his two exponents and It convulsed the early hours of Sunday of thousands of fans, and curious, who posed in front of the screen to see two Chileans show off in an Anglo-Saxon sport.
When the bronze tiebreaker began, no story was as tasty as that of the Chilean. From spending the last few seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour to achieving automatic promotion to the PGA after three victories in the same season. That was the first high point of a dream year for Mito. After the arrival of the world’s golf elite, there was more applause for the man from Santiago. He quickly got used to overcoming cuts and in less than a month he added his first top ten. A brand that some have sought for years, it only cost Pereira two championships. The first came in the Barbasol Championship. The second at 3M the following week.
With that preparation he arrived in Tokyo. A contest where everything he was doing exploded. It was a great tournament where everything was given to him and where it only took one round to make it clear that he would be a key face in the fight for medals.
He did not falter and in each of the four rounds he played incredible. The highest point of this Olympic journey came on the second day, where he finished six strokes under par. Crazy for a newcomer to the big leagues. But Mito has already more than proven that he had a PGA gene long before.
It was those returns that They left him with -15 in the general and put in the bronze tiebreaker against six other players. All with more history and trophies than him, including majors winners in between. But Mito did not shrink. He played spectacularly and only the whim of fate left him without the medal on his neck.
Something that hurts, but that cannot overshadow everything that Mito has done. It was a blast week. A deserved one and that was going to arrive sooner or later.
“A tremendous week, tremendous experience. Thank everyone who supports us, all Chileans. Hopefully I can do it again and have a great result for all of Chile “He told TVN when the fourth round of the Games closed.
“Thank you very much, you feel the messages, the support and that makes us both feel very supported from there and wanting to get something for Chile so that we are all really proud and something important”, The one who is now the best Olympic golfer in the country closed.
It is the face of the national golf revolution, there is no doubt about that. At only 22 years old, Joaco is already a benchmark in the country. His name is synonymous with the sport where he dazzles and where he seems destined to mark an era. That is why it generated so much expectation at these Olympic Games. He was the great favorite to savor a medal. Something that many discarded after the first day, but that Joaco never believed impossible.
Tokyo was another setting where Niemann’s mindset was on the horizon. He closed the first day of the tournament with a -1 that left him complicated in the table and annoyed after the drive of 18. But as soon as he finished competing, he relaxed and showed his confidence in himself.
“I know I have what it takes to fight for the medals” He reported shamelessly after that inaugural round. Something that for many may be superb, for Joaco it is simple trust. One of a world class, one of those unique, different athletes. He is the kind of player who knows that he has everything to take over the world.
And so the comeback began to take place. One that in the final round had its most glorious day. Finished the fourth run with -14 overall, just one stroke away from getting into the dramatic definition for the bronze. Without that final chance, the Chilean still managed to finish in T10 of the Olympics.
“You come here to win a medal and that was my goal this week. I felt more stressed on the court this week, between the heat and the time change, it felt like a very long tournament. In the end, I’m happy with how the two of Chile played ”, declared the Talagantino to National Television.
If there is something that surprised at dawn on Sunday it was the attention of the Chileans around the imbalance of Mito and Joaco. On Twitter they were trending, on Instagram they appeared and appeared in stories and publications. In WhatsApp groups, every time they made a birdie, messages of amazement arrived. All of Chile settled on the feat of the golfers, demonstrating that special aura of the Games.
Something that the best golfers in the history of the country also felt. “I’ve seen a lot of comments from people who don’t know golf and who weren’t watching. I hope that little by little they will become more familiar with the sport. I laughed at comments from people who didn’t know what the score was, the -3 and things like that. It is difficult to learn if you have never played, but I invite you to get to know it and continue to support us “Niemann commented.
Myth for its part had similar words: “Big thanks to everyone who followed us. You feel the messages, the support and that makes us both feel very supported from Chile and wanting to get something for them. We want to do something important “, were the words of Mito, who also made an analysis of the possible massification of golf in the country. “It would be amazing. For this, the help of many people and entities is needed, but what we are doing is good for starting ”, he concluded.
It was four days where the word golf gained a lot of weight in Chile. In a year where many athletes left the Games, looking down on their value or justifying themselves with calendar problems, the example of Mito and Joaco show how easily an athlete can win a seat in the national team. Representing and vibrating when defending the colors of your country can leave you forever with an idol or a reference. They were and will be for a long time. They were able to revolutionize a Sunday morning with their blows and dreams. Golf grew in these Games and they are the great responsible.
