Women's Golf Association of India

Diksha, Neha open with solid cards in first round in Prague

Prague, Czech Rep, June 24:Diksha Dagar produced a superb finish with three birdies in a span of five holes between the 14th and the 17th holes for a solid 3-under 69 start that placed her in Top-10 in the first round of the Tipsport Ladies Czech Ladies Open.

Earlier in the first session the other Indians were Neha Tripathi (71) at T-29, Vani Kapoor (72) and Ridhima Dilawari (72) at T48th and Amandeep Drall (73) at T-61.

The Spanish challenge began strongly as Teresa Diez Moliner (67) at 5-under led the field all alone. She was followed by three other Spaniards Ella Folch, Paz Marfa Sans and Luna Sobron Galmes, all of whom shot 4-under 68 each to be tied second. Two other players, Johanna Gustavsson and Nicole Broch were also at 4-under but were yet to complete their round.

The Deaf Olympics gold medallist Diksha, who has missed the cuts in her last two starts in the Scandinavian Mixed and then ATS London, had one birdie on the front nine and turned in one-under 35. On the back nine she gave away that shot with a bogey on 12th. Three birdies on 14th, 15th and 17th ensured a fine opening day and she was lying Tied-sixth with some golfers from the afternoon wave yet to complete. Dagar was in the first group of the second session.

Neha Tripathi turned in one of her best rounds ever on the Ladies European Tour as she carded 1-under 71 in the first round of the Tipsport Ladies Czech Ladies Open. With four birdies, two of them on Par-5s on seventh and 15th, and three bogeys she was T-29th.

Vani Kapoor began the day with two sixes. She had a double on par-4 first and then a bogey on Par-5 second to go 3-over after two holes. She then fought back well with three birdies against one more bogey on next five holes. Her action-packed front nine ended at 1-over 37. She birdied 15th, bogeyed the 16th and closed with a birdie on 18th for a day’s card of 72 and was T-46th.

Ridhima Dilawari starting on 10th bogeyed the 12th and 13th and turned in 2-over and was still 2-over after 12 holes. A birdie on par-3 13th was offset by a bogey on Par-5 fifth. She rallied with two birdies on seventh and ninth, her closing hole for a 72.

Amandeep Drall turned in 1-under after the front nine with a bogey on second and birdies on seventh and ninth. On the second nine she dropped shots on 14th and 16th and carded 1-over 73 and was T-61.

By V Krishnaswamy (@Swinging_Swamy)