In-form Aditi set for title defence at Indian Open
Aditi Ashok could not have asked for better preparation for the 2017 Hero Women’s Indian Open, coming from behind to win the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open in Abu Dhabi last Sunday, and jumping to 13th in the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit.
The 19-year-old, holder of three LET titles including the one here last year, the Qatar Ladies Open (both in her rookie season) that followed almost immediately and most recently at Abu Dhabi, has already written herself into the record books as the first Indian winner on the LET. She first played the Hero Indian Open and now will count as among those to beat when action gets under way at the DLF course near here on Friday.
Having played limited events on the LET, she was down on the Order of Merit list, but Abu Dhabi has seen her rocket up the standings. With her season on the LPGA winding down, Aditi has a series of events on the LET and in the region as she is likely to defend her Qatar Ladies title besides playing in Dubai.
The 11th Women’s Indian Open this year has attracted a strong field. Hero are title sponsors for the eighth time and the event will be staged at the DLF for the ninth time.
The field includes four of the top five from LET’s 2016 season including no. 1 Beth Allen, second placed Aditi, who was also the Rookie of the Year, and Florentyna Parker. Also in action this week will be no. 5 Isabelle Boineau. Six of the top 20 from this year’s list — Carlota Ciganda (no. 6 and world no. 20), Klara Spilkova (9th); Parker (12th); Aditi (13th); Anne Van Dam (16th) and Ana Menedez (19th) dot the entry list.
Apart from Aditi, India’s challenge will include Sharmila Nicollet, Gaurika Bishnoi, Vani Kapoor, Amandeep Drall, Neha Tripathi and Smriti Mehra. There will be considerable focus on Sharmila, back after three months in US. Gaurika will hope to translate her success onto the HWIO, while for Vani, this is her home course.
One of the biggest contingent from outside India is from Thailand. They have won the event four times, Phatlum Pornanong alone thrice. She is not here this time, but the 2013 winner Thidapa Suwannapura, is here.