Rabat, Feb 10 (PTI) Indian golfer Aditi Ashok carried her fine form from last week as she carded 4-under 69 in the Lalla Meryem Cup and was tied second after the first round.

Aditi, who won the Magical Kenya Ladies Open last week after teeing off on a sponsor’s invite, got into the field this week in the winner’s category, which ensures her start at every event for the next two years.

The second Indian in the field, Diksha Dagar had a difficult start as she shot 8-over 81 and will need a very low second round to make the cut. The top 60 and ties make the cut for the third and final round.

The leader was Sweden’s Linnea Ström who fired an opening round 67 (-6) to earn herself a two-shot lead. She was in fine form at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam and carded eight birdies.

Aditi, playing with the defending champion Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz and local Moroccan Ines Laklalech, started from the first tee.

Aditi, who now has four LET titles, had three birdies against no bogeys on the front nine and turned in 3-under.

A birdie on 10th took her to 4-under, but she dropped a shot on Par-5 11th. Immediately she got back that shot on Par-4 12th and moved back to 4-under. A birdie on 15th and a bogey on 17th saw her finish at a healthy 4-under.

Sitting in tied second with Aditi is Nicole Broch Estrup on 4-under. The Dane bounced back from a triple bogey on the par-4 18th – her ninth hole – to card eight birdies and take the early clubhouse lead. The Lalla Meryem Cup is 29-year-old Estrup’s first tournament of 2023.

Four players are in a tie for fourth place with Maja Stark, Lydia Hall, Magdalena Simmermacher, and Alessandra Fanali all in the mix on 2-under.

Ström is targeting her first win on the Ladies European Tour (LET) this week. The 26-year-old previously came close to achieving the feat at the 2022 Madrid Ladies Open when she finished second.

The field has 96 players and will be played over 54 holes.

Source: PTI News