Walton Heath (UK), Aug 9 (PTI) Indian golfer Aditi Ashok has become a regular feature at the Majors for women, but is yet to make a mark like she has on the Ladies European Tour or even the Ladies PGA.
Aditi, who missed an Olympic medal by a whisker in Tokyo, and Diksha Dagar, who was her teammate in Tokyo Olympics, are back to make another appearance this week at AIG Women’s Open, two weeks after a none-too-happy outing at the previous Major, the Evian Championships.
Aditi has won four times on the Ladies European Tour since her maiden success on home turf at the Hero Women Indian Open back in 2016, while Diksha has won twice, once each in Women’s South African Open and Czech Ladies Open.
Aditi, who has played more than 25 Majors so far, has still not been able to crack a winning formula or even finished in Top-10. Her best has been T-22 at the AIG Women’s Open in 2018.
This will be Aditi’s seven appearance at the Women’s Open and it will be her 27th Major.
Diksha will be making her fourth start at a Major and the second at the Women’s Open. She is yet to make a cut in any Major.
Aditi is paired with Carlota Ciganda and Valentina Rossi and they will be out very early at 7.25 am, while Diksha will play with Celine Borge and Gina Kim and they tee off at 10.37 am from the first tee.
South African Ashleigh Buhai will be back to defend the title as the event is staged at Walton Heath in Surrey.
Following last year’s breakthrough victory for Buhai, she has gone on to have an incredible year, winning the 2022 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, the 2023 Investec South African Women’s Open and he 2023 ShopRite LPGA Classic.
Buhai will begin the defence of her title on Thursday at 12.49 pm (local time) alongside Canada’s Brooke Henderson and American Rose Zhang.
The 144-player field is loaded with superstars, including Celine Boutier, who just captured back-to-back victories at The Amundi Evian Championship and FREED GROUP Women’s Scottish Open.
Also in the field are World Golf Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda and 19-time LPGA Tour winner Lydia Ko.
Ten past champions are also set to tee it up alongside twelve 2023 LPGA Tour rookies and 14 2023 LPGA Tour winners.
The past champions in the field are Ashleigh Buhai (2022), Anna Nordqvist (2021), Hinako Shibuno (2019), Georgia Hall (2018), In-Kyung Kim (2017), Ariya Jutanugarn (2016), Stacy Lewis (2013), Jiyai Shin (2012, 2008), Catriona Matthew (2009) and Laura Davies (1986).
The field includes all 10 of the world’s Top-10 and 14 of the 15 winners on the LPGA in 2023.
Source: PTI News
