Diksha cards even par at Kenya Ladies Open

Nairobi, Feb. 12: Battling tough conditions, India’s

21-year-old golfing sensation Diksha Dagar turned in an even par 72 to rise to tied 21st at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open here.

In contrast, fellow Indian Amandeep Drall had a very rough day with seven-over

79 that saw her drop sharply to T-57.

Diksha played well in the conditions which stayed difficult at the Vipingo Range, picking up four birdies.

Diksha had four birdies on second, 11th, 14th and

18th, while she dropped shots on first and 16th and a double bogey on par-4 fifth.

Amandeep failed to manage any birdies and had five bogeys and a double bogeys.

Linnea Strom stayed in the lead even though she was even par through 14 holes in the third round. She is 3-under, while Spaniard Luna Sobron Gomes (68) was second at 1under.

Three players Esther Henseleit, Emma Grechi and Sophie Hausmann are tied for third at even par, but still have some holes left.

LAHIRI MISSES THE CUT AT SCOTTSDALE

Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri missed the cut after carding four-over 75 in the second round of the $8.2 million Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale.

Lahiri (70-75) ended up finding himself on the wrong side of the cut line for the first time in three starts as signs of early season rust continued to show. He had just two birdies and dropped six bogeys and exited early as the cut fell at 2-under.

Meanwhile, Theegala is now two shots clear of Brooks Koepka (66-66) and Xander Schauffele (67-65).

BHULLAR SLIPS TO T-59

AT RAS AL KHAIMAH Indian golfer Gaganjeet

Bhullar carded a disappointing 74 in the third round to slip to tied 59th at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic here.

Bhullar, who began the week with rounds of 70-67, dropped four bogeys, three of them between 11th and

14th, and just two birdies to be 5-under after the third day.

It was not the best of days on the course for Bhullar, who went into the water on the third and later to the rough and native and missed a few fairways.

Meanwhile, Ryan Fox doubled his lead from three to six as he added 7-under

65 to go with his rounds of

63-69. He is now 19-under and leads a group of four players, Adrian Meronk, Scott Jamieson, Adri Arnaus and Pablo Larrazabal, who are at 13under.

Robert McIntyre along with Marcel Siem and Masahiro Kawamura are all at Tied-sixth at 12-under.

—