Aditi Ashok (IND). Filepic
New Jersey, US, June 2: Aditi Ashok’s search for her maiden LPGA title is becoming more intense with each passing week. The lone Indian on the world’s biggest professional stage for women’s golf, Aditi playing at the Mizuho Americas Open, shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 as she was lying second behind the leader Lauren Hartlage (65).
As Hartlage shot her career-best round on the LPGA with five birdies and an eagle and no bogeys, Aditi had five birdies and no bogeys and was two behind at the iconic Liberty National Golf Club.
Aditi was second after a loss in a play-off at JM Eagle LA Championship and she was T5 finish at the Cognizant Founders Cup. She already has one win this season on the Ladies European Tour besides two other Top-3 finishes and leads the Order of Merit on the other side of the Atlantic.
“I don’t think you can ever go into an event thinking this is the one I’m going to win because golf kind of humbles you sometimes,” Aditi said.
The rather matured and level-headed Aditi, who has been on the LPGA since 2017 added, “But, yeah, I just know that if I play good four days, then I’ll have a pretty good chance. I just focus on trying to play the best round of golf I can play on that day. Sometimes that’s a 67; sometimes that’s a 72.”
Starting on the tenth Aditi was up and running with birdies on 10th and 12th and added a third on 16th. She turned in 3-under and further gains came in from fifth and sixth.
Aditi played very well hitting 12 of the 14 fairways and found 13 greens in regulation and needed 27 putts for the round. She may have missed a couple of birdies but was happy with a 67.
Lauren Hartlage dominated with a bogey-free 7-under. She started with an eagle on the tenth and kept up the tempo. “I eagled the first hole. Hit it to a foot and tapped in for eagle, so getting off to a really good start always helps,” said Hartlage.
Hartlage did, in fact, hit every fairway on Thursday as well as 13 of 18 greens. She made six birdies in addition to her eagle. Last year, which was her rookie season, Hartlage made just six cuts in 16 starts but maintained her status thanks to a T9 finish at LPGA Q-Series. In 2023, she has made four cuts in seven starts with a season best T6 finish at the LOTTE Championship.
At tied third are Northern Irishwoman Stephanie Meadow and two-time champion Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul. Thitikul fought windy conditions throughout the afternoon to earn her 68.
Seven players shot 3-under and are T5 heading into round two, including two-time major champions Brooke Henderson and Lydia Ko. Making her professional debut after a spectacular amateur career, Rose Zhang shot a 2-under 70.
