Sportspersons

S Muñoz Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

Sebastian Muñoz, a graduate of the University of North Texas, came agonisingly close to capturing an Olympic medal over the weekend.

In the final round of the Olympic golf competition, which was telecast late Saturday night in Texas, Munoz fired a 4-under-par 67 at Kasumigaseki Country Club north of Tokyo to move into a tie for third place.

What You Want to Know?

S Muñoz Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

This is where the plot thickened. There was a playoff for third place between seven players who all finished at 15 under.

Muñoz managed to get through the first two holes with pars on the par-4 18th and par-3 10th before losing. Two players, C.T. Pan and Collin Morikawa, advanced after making birdies on the 11th hole, a par 4.

Read Also:

When the Bronze Medal Playoff Went Back to the 18th Hole, Pan Won with a Par.

Muñoz and his fellow UNT alum Carlos Ortiz were both still in the running for a medal in the final round.

With 18 holes to play, Mexico’s Ortiz was tied for third place with England’s Paul Casey. Muñoz, a Colombian player, tied for fifth place with three others.

Muñoz Ended the Tournament with a Score of 5 Birdies and 1 Bogey.

Ortiz’s final round 78 meant he had already been eliminated from medal contention by the time he reached the back nine. Over the course of the next six holes, he made two double bogeys and three bogeys.

Ortiz Ended Up Tied for 42nd Place.

The United States’ Xander Schauffele came out on top, while Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini settled for silver.

Neither Muñoz nor Ortiz brought home a medal, but they did add to UNT’s rich legacy of Olympic golf participation.

Rodolfo Cazaubon, another UNT grad, competed for Mexico in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. After a long hiatus of 112 years, golf was reinstated as an Olympic sport in that year.

Coach Brad Stracke noted in the days leading up to the tournament that UNT’s recent success is good for the programme as a whole.

Stracke stated of Muñoz and Ortiz, “These two have brought so much attention to not only the UNT men’s golf team but to our university.” To say I am pleased with their accomplishments would be an understatement.

Read Also: