Vipingo (Kenya), Feb 3 (PTI) Aditi Ashok, coming into the new season after almost two months without golf, continued her fine run as she extended her lead from four to five shot at the halfway stage of the Magical Kenya Ladies Open.
The star Indian, who already has three Ladies European titles, including one at home, shot 3-under 70 at the Par-73 Vipingo Ridge course.
She shot 6-under 67 on the first day when she led by four shots and she is now five clear of the field.
Aditi, who had six birdies and an eagle against two bogeys on the first day, had just one bogey on the second. She started on the 10th with a birdie and then had 9 pars till her next two birdies on second and third holes.
A bogey on fifth and a birdie on seventh, which she had eagled a day earlier saw her finish the day at 3-under 70 and a total of 9-under 137.
Aditi said, “It has been a great start to the tournament. Yesterday was a much better round, I didn’t know how I was playing coming into this week because of two months of no tournament golf, but I think nine-under after two days is pretty good.” Teenaged Thai golfer April Angurasaranee, who came through the Let Qualifying School, added a second straight 71 to get to 4-under and was sole second.
Spain’s Marta Sanz Barrio (71-72) was sole third at 3-under, while three players were tied for fourth at 2-under each.
Only Alice Hewson (71-73) playing alongside Aditi had finished. Ana Pelaez Trivino Kylie Henry of Scotland were both 2-under but had played only nine holes in their second round.
The 2022 Hero Women’s Indian Open runner-up Amandeep Drall ensured weekend action as she shot 74-74 and was 2-over through 36 holes and tied 22nd.
India’s prodigious amateur Avani Prashanth, playing on an invite, looks set to make the cut as she was 1-under in the second round through 11 holes after a 2-over 75 in the first round.
She was currently Tied-17th, but her position will change later in the day.
Diksha Dagar (78 and 5-over through 13 holes in the second round), Vani Kapoor (81 and 3-over through 12 in the second) and Seher Atwal (81 and 4-over through 11 in the second) looked likely to miss the cut.
“It was good. I think for the most part I played pretty consistently today, there was just one dropped shot which was good. I feel I could have driven it a bit better and hit it closer than I did but overall, it was a good day,” Aditi said.
“I don’t know why my driving was a little off. Maybe I didn’t warm up as well this morning or I guess when the wind picked up, I couldn’t find my rhythm. ”
Source: PTI News
