Women's Golf Association of India

Diksha fights for a battling 73 at South African Women’s Open

Cape Town, April 25: Diksha Dagar waged a gritty battle to finish the opening day at the Investec South African Women’s Open with a hard-fought 1-over 73 at the par-72 Erinvale Country & Golf Estate. Diksha was tied 53rd.

England’s Rosie. Davies, still looking for her maiden win on the Ladies European Tour, shared the early lead with Switzerland’s Elena Moosman with 6-under 66 each. Moosman, 22, has come through the LET Access Series.

Diksha has been in fine form after a strong 2023 season, during which she had one win in Czech Republic and two Top-3 finishes in Amundi German Masters and Hero Women’s Indian Open, among her 10 Top-10s. This season she already has three Top-10 finishes.

In the opening round she had four birdies and five bogeys. It was a constant battle and she was never better than 1-under nor was she ever worse than 1-over, which is where she finished. On the back nine, twice she had back-to-back bogeys and once she had back-to-back birdies.

Also at one-over was Tvesa Malik, a multiple winner on her home Tour, the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, was 1-over with two mores hole to play. She was also Tied-53rd.

Ridhima. Dilawari with three birdies and five bogeys was 2-over and in Tied-67th place while Vani Kapoor had an interesting round with an eagle on par-4 fifth hole followed by a double bogey on Par-4 sixth. She had three other bogeys in her 75 and was T-81 needing a solid second round to make the cut.

While Davies and Moosman shared the lead, Julie Boysen Hillestad of Norway was third with 5-under 67 and six players, including legend South African Lee Ann Pace, four English players Liz Young, Bronte Law, Annabell Fulller and Hannah Burke, and French golfer, Nastasia Nadaud shot 4-under 68 each.