KUALA LUMPUR (PGA TOUR) - A throwaway comment by Rory McIlroy after he missed out on a bronze medal was worth its weight in gold as golf's much talked-about acceptance in the Olympic Games was reinforced following two glorious weeks at Tokyo 2020.

"I've been saying all day I never tried so hard in my life to finish third," said the forlorn Irishman after he bowed out of a riveting seven-man play-off for third place in the men's competition at Kasumigaseki Country Club.