Diksha Dagar, 18, wins South African Women’s Open
CAPETOWN:DIKSHA Dagar became only the second Indian woman golfer to win on Ladies European Tour after clinching the South African Women’s Open, eking out a one-shot victory with a bogey-free final round here on Saturday.
Dagar, 18, was trailing by two shots, but pipped the much-experienced Lee Anne Pace with a three-under final round. Dagar follows Aditi Ashok, who in 2016 became the first Indian to win on the LET. Aditi added two more LET wins and now plays on the LPGA. Diksha also has ambitions of getting to the LPGA, which on current form looks a strong possibility. Dagar played at the Women’s Indian Open last year as an amateur and made the cut.
Her father, Narinder Dagar, who served in the army, was on the bag for Diksha. Narinder helped her cope with hearing problems. She has been wearing hearing aid since the age of six. A left-hander, Diksha is wellknown for her brand of aggressive and fearless golf.
Dagar, who came in off a long flight from Australia, where she was tied 5th at the NSW Open last week, began with double bogeys in the first three holes.
She had one more bogey on the 12th hole and ended the first day with a 76 but scoring was tough on a windy day and she was still inside the top-20. Thereafter, she played the next 42 holes without a blemish and finished five-under 211 while Lee-anne (72) ended at four-under 212. She rose to second by the end of Day 2 and finally won the title on the final day.
Dagar was behind till late into the back nine. She started one behind and Lee-anne pulled two clear with a birdie on the 11th but bogeyed the 13th to fall back to five-under. Dagar birdied 15th and 16th and that helped her catch up with leader Lee-anne at five-under. The South African dropped another shot on 17th and Dagar stayed steady and one ahead. As both parred the final hole, the Indian could rejoice.
BHULLAR TIED FOURTH
NAIROBI: Gaganjeet Bhullar kept himself in the hunt with a 66 that now puts him two shots behind leaders Adri Arnaus and Guido Migliozzi in Kenya Open here on Saturday. Bhullar is 12-under with leaders Arnaus and Migliozzi at 14-under.
LAHIRI MAKES CUT
PONTEVEDRA(USA):ANIRBAN Lahiri made his first cut at the Players Championship on his fourth attempt and was placed tied 39th at the midway stage of the flagship event of the PGA Tour here. Lahiri added a one-under 71 to his first round 70, getting to three-under 141. He had missed the cut on three previous attempts.