(Professional Golf)
Antwerp, May 29: Diksha Dagar registered her best finish of the season on the Ladies European Tour despite a tame finish at the 2023 Belgian Ladies Open by two shots at Naxhelet Golf Club. Diksha, one of the only two Indians to taste success on the LET, closed with a bogey on 18th for an even par 72 in the final round and finished in a tie for sixth place.
Patricia Isabel Schmidt fired an excellent final round of 66 (-6) to win by two shots.
Diksha, who had a disappointing start to the season, has made the cut in each of the last four events and has been improving along the way.
Starting the final round in tied second place, Diksha stayed close to the lead and was at one point just one off the lead after the turn. On the back nine she gave away three bogeys against birdie for a 72 and finished in a big group at sixth.
India’s other player to make the cut, Amandeep Drall shot 1-under 71 and finished T-24th, also her best finish this season.
Patricia from Germany sat three shots behind overnight leader Maria Hernandez on five-under-par after rounds of 71-68 on the first two days. She bogeyed third and fifth but she soon turned around her card.
Four consecutive birdies on holes six through nine put her a couple of shots off the lead and she was soon co-leader after back-to-back birdies on 12 and 13. A superb eagle on 14 put the 27-year-old in pole position on 11-under-par, which was enough to seal her first title on the LET.
She said, “My dad was caddying today. He was joining me for the first time ever since I started playing golf, because I was flying to Brussels and my dad had a week off, so he picked me up and took my bag with me. I guess it all kind of worked out!
Two players ended the day in a tie for second place with Germany’s Chiara Noja and Spain’s Maria Hernandez on nine-under-par.
Germany’s Olivia Cowan had another good week on the LET with a final round of 68 (-4) to finish in outright fourth place on eight-under-par with Italy’s Clara Manzalini one shot further back in fifth.
Six players ended the tournament in a share of sixth place with France’s Agathe Sauzon, Switzerland’s Vanessa Knecht, Belgium’s Manon De Roey, France’s Charlotte Liautier, Spain’s Mireia Prat and India’s Diksha all on six-under-par.
In the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol, the top four players remain in the same order with Aditi Ashok leading followed by Linn Grant in second, Ana Peláez Trivino in third and Klara Davidson Spilkova in fourth.
Jasmine Shekar receiving winner's cheque and trophy from Mr. Ravi Grover, CEO- Golden Greens Golf Club