Aditi Ashok saves best for last

Marbella (Spain), November 26

Aditi Ashok secured her second victory of the Ladies European Tour season, triumphing by two shots at the Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de Espaaa.

The two-time Olympian had an impressive week where she improved round by round at Real Club de Golf Las Brisas.

After rounds of 69-68-68 on the first three days, Aditi carded an excellent bogey-free 66 on the final day to win with a total of 17-under.

“It started out slow, I was missing a lot of birdies for the first six to eight holes,” said Aditi. “I hit it close on seven, after that I felt like I still had a chance. Initially, it felt like I was two shots away the whole time. I’m glad it picked up on the back-nine,” she added.

Dutch star Anne Van Dam ended the week in second place on 15-under after a final round of 68. “It was a tough day,” said the five-time LET winner. “I was in there all day and it was super close. Aditi just came out and played unbelievably and she definitely deserved to win this week,” she added.

Van Dam, who has won this tournament twice previously, had five birdies and one bogey on her scorecard.

“It was a great battle,” Aditi said. “Anne, when she’s playing good, she can blow the field away and win by five to 10 shots. I knew I had to not stop making birdies and to keep trying. Her par when she hit the trees on 15 and my long putt, that switched the momentum a little bit. She is a great player and kept me honest out there,” she added.

Aditi, who was in a tie for second place overnight, didn’t make her first birdie until the seventh but that kick-started her momentum.

She added two more on the 10th and 13th but it was her three birdies on the trot on 15, 16 and 17 that sealed her fifth LET title and her second of the season, after she also won the season-opening event in Kenya.

“On the front-nine, I wasn’t hitting it as good. On 13 when I hit that 8-iron close, I felt I had a good swing and it just picked up from there. I guess the 16th tee shot was the shot of the day,” Aditi said.

Spain’s Ana Pelaez Trivino ended the week in third place after a final round of 68, which included five birdies and one bogey. Sweden’s Linn Grant and Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley finished in a tie for fourth place on 12-under, with Belgium’s Manon De Roey in outright sixth.

India’s Diksha Dagar, defending champion Caroline Hedwall, Norway’s Madelene Stavnar, France’s Celine Boutier and Spanish amateur Andrea Revuelta ended the week in a share of seventh place on 10-under.

Diksha shot a 5-under 67 with six birdies and one bogey to climb from overnight tied-15.

In the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol, it was Trichat Cheenglab who came away with the trophy, finishing ahead of Boutier and Dagar. — Agencies

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