Aditi and Tvesa
Dubai: Aditi Ashok fired a bogey free 3-under 69 to position herself in Top-10 at the end of the first round, even as Mexico’s Maria Fassi shot an exceptional round of 63 which equalled the tournament course record on the first day at the Dubai Moonlight Classic.
Tvesa Malik was one shot behind at 2-under 70 and in Tp-16th place, while Diksha Dagar (72) was T-32.
Aditi found birdies on second, third and 13th, while Tvesa Malik birdied third, fifth and 10th but she also dropped a shot on 13th. Dagar had two birdies on third and sixth and two bogeys on 11th and 15th.
In a tournament, which had a shot gun start in the evening under lights, , Fassi, an Olympian like Aditi and Diksha, began her round on hole 17 alongside Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn and Germany’s Esther Henseleit.
After back-to-back birdies on 18 and the first, she dropped a shot on the third before three birdies in a row on holes four through six.
The 23-year-old is playing night golf for the first time and experiencing competition under the lights at the Faldo Course at Emirates Golf Club. But despite being new to the concept, Fassi enjoyed her first taste of golf in the spotlight and is relishing the relaxed atmosphere especially with her gameplan.
One stroke behind Fassi on eight-under-par is South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace, who won the LET’s season-opener back in May.
Pace was playing alongside Germany’s Olivia Cowan who is one shot further back in third place on seven-under-par with the duo spurring each other on.
Cowan also produced a bogey-free round on the first day and feels at home in Dubai having finished T2 at the tournament in 2019.
In fourth place is Sweden’s Jessica Karlsson, who carded a round of 66 (-6) with seven birdies and one bogey, while Wales’ Lydia Hall and England’s Alice Hewson are T5 after round of 67 on day one.
Three players are T7 on four-under-par including Solheim Cup winner Bronte Law and six players are one stroke further back and tied for 10th place.
Read also:
Aditi Ashok and Tvesa Malik are all set for Dubai Moonlight Classic
