New Zealand golfers won the final round of the mixed team event at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, but that wasn't enough to get them onto the podium.
Waikato amateur Nick Coxon and Manor Park teen Julianne Alvarez finished 10th overall in the team event on Tuesday with six-under 280.
The duo finished the third round in first place next to Venezuela and Japan after Coxon shot a six-under 139, his best across the individual and combined events.
"It was good to have a round like that to finish and take a bit of confidence home," the 18-year-old said.
"We've had a couple of rough rounds and a couple of good ones."
Gold went to Swedish pair Marcus Kinhult and Linnea Strom after a two-hole play-off against silver medallists Korea.
The play-off had to go to a second hole after the teams could not be split on the first hole, and the Swedes claimed the title with two par fours as the Koreans made par and bogey.
Bronze went to Italy following a play-off with Denmark after they tied at 14-under 274.
Coxon said teeing off at the 18-hole course at Zhongshan International Golf Club in a field of 30 has been a rewarding experience.
"I've learnt how to handle myself better on a golf course," he said.
Competing away from the rolling green hills of New Zealand's Waikato region has also taught him more about putting, said Coxon.
"Putting on these greens are a lot different to what I'm used to.
"It's a lot slower and a different type of grass to what I'm used to back home."
Alvarez said she's glad she and Coxon were able to play against such a strong field.
"A big lesson from this would be you can't really control what others are doing," she said.
"You can only really control what you do ... you just have to do best you can do."
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