Dubbo, NSW, Australia, Feb 27: India’s 19-year-old Diksha Dagar mixed seven birdies with four bogeys to card three-under 69 in the opening round of the Women’s New South Wales Open. Dagar, winner of the 2019 Investec South African Women’s Open champion, was lying Tied-fifth and two shots behind co-leaders, Scotland’s Michelle Thomson and Gemma Dryburgh, who shot 67 each in ideal scoring conditions. Both Michele and Gemma come from Aberdeen in Scotland.
The other Indians in the field include three-time LET winner, Aditi Ashok (73) in T-40tth place, Gaurika Bishnoi (74) in T-50th, Astha Madan (78) in T-113, Tvesa Malik (79) in T-127 and Ridhima Dilawari (81) in 139thplace.
Diksha, Tied-fifth at the NSW Open last year, came back with mixed feelings. She was disappointed at missing a lot of up-and-downs, but was happy with her putting. Starting with a birdie on 10th, she added another on 13thand two more on 16thand 17th, but she also dropped shots on 15tth and 18thto turn in two-under. On the second nine, she birdied third and fourth to climb to four-under, but back-to-back bogeys on sixth and seventh meant a slip downwards before she closed with a birdie for 69.
“Today I missed four up-and-downs, but my putting was good, much better,” said Dagar. “I’m hitting it long and straight, because I worked hard on my fitness, doing push ups and strengthening my shoulders and the lower parts.
“I’m happy with my score because I was able to make all the putts and I’m feeling more confident. My game has come back.”
Aditi Ashok had a disappointing start as she was three-over after six, but two birdies on ninth and 13thhelped in a recovery to one-over.
Riding a superb front nine with five birdies Michele shot 67 as she he had one birdie and one bogey on back nine.
Gemma, playing with Aditi Ashok, had seven birdies against two bogeys. She had three birdies in a row from second and then back-to-back bogeys on fifth and sixth. She made up with four birdies on ninth, 13th, 16thand 18thfor a 67.
Camilla Lennarth and Olivia Cowan took the early lead with four-under 68s before they were overtaken.
Lennarth, who missed the cut in Bonville, posted four birdies and no bogeys to post the target.
Germany’s Olivia Cowan, 23, also had a mistake-free card with four birdies. After starting from the 10th, she picked up strokes at the 12th, 13th, 17th and fourth holes.
Dagar, Julia Engström and Breanna Gill shot 70 each.
