GOLF
Indian golfer Diksha Dagar produced a sizzling seven-under 64 in the final round to sign off at the third place, her best result of the season, at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.
The result also carried her to 45th spot in the Race to Costa del Sol standings for LET.
Diksha finished third behind Ines Laklalech and Meghan MacLaren, who were involved in a play-off hole, which was won by Laklalech on the par-4 18th, at Golf Barrière.
An elated Diksha thanked her father, Col Naren Dagar, for his guidance as her caddie during the tournament.
“I’m very happy to see the direction that my game is heading in. Unfortunately, on the first day, I had six birdies but (also had) a number of bogeys, so I was thinking that I needed to cut down the bogeys,” she said.
“I didn’t know the course very well but then I learned more about the clubs I should be selecting. Me and my dad had very good team work today and we selected the clubs well together and finally my putts started to drop.” Starting the day at 4-under and in T-12 place, Diksha hit three straight birdies on first three holes. She added two more on seventh and ninth to turn in 5-under 30. A day earlier she played the same stretch in 6-under 29.
On the back nine, Diksha added birdies on 10th, 13th and 14th to go to 8-under and in going for one more on the 18th she dropped her only bogey of the day and finished at 64.
Laklalech has made history by becoming the first Moroccan, first Arab and first North African woman to win a Ladies European Tour title. Her husband, Ali, was her caddie.
The 24-year-old from Casablanca defeated Meghan MacLaren with a bogey five on the first play-off hole, the par-4 18th, at Golf Barrière.
-PTI
Aditi drops to 59th after disappointing third round in Portland
Portland (US): India's Aditi Ashok endured a disappointing third round of 4-over 76 that saw her plummet to tied 59 with one more round to go in the AmazingCre Portland Classic here.
Two bogeys on either side of the course at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club made it rough and there were no birdies either.
With Aditi having shot 69-71 on the first two days, the 76 dropped her to even par for three rounds.
Lilia Vu, who has never held a lead or co-lead after any round on the LPGA Tour will tee it off in the lead group for the final day. She shot 69 and shared the lead at 13-under with Ayaka Furue (67) and Andre Lee (67).
Vu got off to a rocky start with a bogey on the first hole, but she turned it around on the back nine with four birdies in the first six holes. Her 3-under round was enough to maintain the co-lead at -13.
Joining Vu in the tie for first were 2022 Rolex first-time winner Ayaka Furue and Andrea Lee. Furue and Lee both shot 67s on Saturday, with the former earning five birdies in a bogey-free round. A 2022 rookie, Furue won the Scottish Open in July.
The low round of the day belonged to Swede Frida Kinhult, who shot -7 with six birdies and an eagle and a bogey. She was joined by fellow Swede Maja Stark and Oregon native Caroline Inglis in a tie for 10th.
-PTI
Indian American Theegala remains in top 10 at Napa
Indian American Sahith Theegala stayed in the top 10 despite a 1-under 71 on the third day, when he was expecting to move up from his overnight fifth place at the season-opening Fortinet Championship on the PGA Tour.
He slipped to tied ninth and was 9-under for 54 holes.
Theegala found just over half the fairways, 8 out of 14, but was better in getting to the greens in regulation with 12 out of 18. His putting held out, especially on the front nine and then closing holes.
Theegala, who had two bogeys against one birdie on the front nine, made up somewhat on the back nine with birdies on 11th and 17th. He holed a 23-footer on 17th to stay inside top 10.
Justin Lower was in lead at 13-under with defending champion Max Homa and Danny Willett a shot back after even-par 72s. They were tied second at 12-under. Byeong Hun An celebrated his 31st birthday with a 71 to get to 11 under.
It wasn't quite the birthday to remember as An was disappointed with his haul on the par-5s at Silverado Resort and Spa North course in Napa. He was 2-over for the Par-5s in his 1-under 71 as he also sank three birdies and one eagle.
China's Marty Zecheng Dou sank four birdies against two bogeys for a 70 and was tied 13th at 8-under, five back of the leader. The 25-year-old, who is starting his second stint on the PGA TOUR after his debut in 2018, is seeking a first top 10 in what is his 28th start this week.
Korean rookie S H Kim carded a 71 for 7-under and will enter Sunday's final round, whose tee times have been brought forward due to impending poor weather, in a share of 17th position.
-PTI
TENNIS
Haritashree Venkatesh beat top seed Rituja Saha 6-2, 6-2 to clinch the girls title in the Asian under-16 tennis tournament.
In the boys section, Samprit Sharma beat Tanussh Ghildyal 6-4, 6-0 for the title. It was a double crown for Samprit as he won the doubles title with Antariksh Tamuly.
Haritashree Venkatesh and Isheeta Midha with the titles in Agartala. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The girls doubles title was bagged by Isheeta Midha and Saijayani Banerjee.
The results (finals):
-Kamesh Srinivasan
Comments
SHARE