Aditi Ashok made her best start of the season with a bogey free five-under 67 to be tied-13th on the first day of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
In a season, where she has not been able to find her form, Aditi is now four behind the first round leader, Inbee Park, who had five straight early birdies and shot a 9-under 62.
This was Aditi’s first score in the 60s in any first round in 2019 and only the second round below 70 on either of the first two days. She had a seven-under 65 on the second day of the LPGA Meijer Classic a fortnight ago, where she ultimately ended T-36th.
Aditi, in 13 previous starts in 2019, had made only five cuts and four of the finishes have been between T-30 and T-39th with the best being T-30 at Hugel-Air Premia LA Open.
She opened the day with a birdie on first and then parred the remaining eight to turn in one-under. Aditi then birdied the first four holes of the back nine to get to five-under, but did not add any more. She also did not give away any shots to finish 5-under 67.
Park, seeking her 20th LPGA Tour victory and first since early last year, began her birdie run on the second hole of the round that started on No. 10. She also birdied the par-5 18th to make the turn at 6-under 29 and added three birdies on the second nine.
Lahiri makes cut with a strong front nine
Anirban Lahiri hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation during his second round
Anirban Lahiri has made the cut with a fine show on the front nine, ending the day at four-under 68 to be tied-33rd at the halfway stage of the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Lahiri, who had five birdies on the front nine, had one more on the back nine, but he also missed some short putts for two bogeys.
He is now seven-under 135 and tied-33rd.
Even as Cameron Champ (66-65) played one of the best stretches on the PGA Tour this season for an eight under 28 with six birdies and an eagle, overnight leader, Nate Lashley (63-67) kept the 36-hole lead by one shot.
Though the scoring has been rather low, some big names Dustin Johnson (71-71) and U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland (72-69) finished at two-under to miss the cut by three strokes.
Lahiri hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation during his second round. He opened with a birdie on the 453-yard par-4 second hole and also birdied fourth, fifth, seventh and ninth and despite missing an eight-footer on first and an 11-footer later, he turned in five-under.
On the back nine, he had his first bogey of the tournament on 11th and that came after a brilliant second shot to six feet for par, but he missed it. He also missed a seven and a half footer for birdie on 14th and a four and a half footer for another birdie on 17th.
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