NSW Open: Diksha cards 69, finishes Day 1 at T-5th
Dubbo (Australia), Feb 27
India’s Diksha Dagar mixed seven birdies with four bogeys to card a 3-under 69 in the opening round of the Women’s New South Wales Open golf tournament here today.
The 19-year-old, winner of the 2019 Investec South African Women’s Open, was lying tied-5th and two shots behind co-leaders, Scotland’s Michelle Thomson and Gemma Dryburgh, who shot a 67 each in ideal scoring conditions.
The other Indians in the field include three-time LET winner, Aditi Ashok (73) in tied 40th place, Gaurika Bishnoi (74) tied-50th, Astha Madan (78) tied-113th, Tvesa Malik (79) tied-127th and Ridhima Dilawari (81) 139th.
Diksha, who finished tied-fifth at the NSW Open last year, came back with mixed feelings. Starting with a birdie on the 10th, she added another on 13th and two more on the 16th and 17th, but dropped shots on the 15th and 18th to turn in 2-under.
On the second-nine, she birdied the 3rd and 4th to climb to 4-under, but back-to-back bogeys on the 6th and 7th meant a slip downwards before she closed with a birdie for a 69. “I missed four up-and-downs, but my putting was good, much better,” said Diksha. “I’m hitting it long and straight, because I worked hard on my fitness, doing push-ups and strengthening my shoulders and lower limbs. I’m happy with my score because I was able to make all the putts and I’m feeling more confident. My game has come back.”
Aditi had a disappointing start as she was 3-over after six, but two birdies on the 9th and the 13th helped her get to 1-over.
Riding a superb front-nine, with five birdies, Michelle shot a 67, while Gemma, playing with Aditi, had seven birdies against two bogeys. She had three birdies in a row from the 2nd and then back-to-back bogeys on the 5th and 6th. She made up with four birdies on the 9th, 13th, 16th and 18th for a 67. — PTI
