Nairobi, Feb 5 (PTI) Indian woman golfer Aditi Ashok came into 2023 with some strong off-season preparation and it seemed to have been perfect. If there was any rust on account of no match play for two months, it did not show.

“It has been a great week, it’s proof to myself that my off-season and hard work has paid off,” said Aditi after her nine-shot win at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open, an event she came close to winning in 2019.

The tournament was then in its first year and Aditi finished runner-up.

These days she plays a lot on the Ladies PGA, but it is yet to get into full swing, so Aditi decided to open the year in Kenya.

After having led through the week, by three shots, then by five and by six after three days, the two-time Olympian emerged victories by nine.

That despite three bogeys on the final day, two of them coming in last four holes. Her 1-over 74 on the final day at the Par-72 Vipingo Ridge course, was her only round over par as she totalled 12-under 280 for the week.

Her nearest rivals were Alice Hewson (72) and the 18-year-old Thai April Angurasaranee (77), who finished at 3-under 289.

After a birdie start she bogeyed the eighth, about which she said, “It was just hard to get that shot out of my mind, I think that hole (the eighth) doesn’t suit my eye so I didn’t play it that well today, but after that I think I got back into my rhythm and just kept hitting fairways and greens. I think the last few holes, I didn’t make many good swings but it’s okay, I guess!” Aditi won her first title back in 2016, her first year as a pro at her home National, the Hero Women’s Indian Open.

She added a second title in her very next start in Qatar. A year later in 2017 she won her third LET title, the 2017 Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open. She has not won since, but she has also played mostly on the Ladies PGA.

Aditi paid tribute to father Ashok Gudlamani, who was on the bag once again.

“It was good to have my dad on the bag – three of my wins have been with him caddying, but not just him there’s my mum (Maheshwari) back home and I have worked a lot with my coach and my fitness team.” Interestingly, Aditi had her father on the bag at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and then had her mother at the Tokyo Olympics.

“All of us have put in a lot of work over two months just to get back to my original strength level and this is the first week I’ve felt like I’ve been back to where I was a couple of years ago which is pretty good.” Her next goal is to get a win on the Ladies PGA, where she has had Top-10s.

Source: PTI News