NewKerala.com

Diksha Dagar, Avani Prashanth shine with 69s at Saudi Ladies International

Indian golfers Diksha Dagar and Avani Prashanth made a strong start at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, both shooting 3-under 69 to sit tied for 21st. They trail first-round leader Hye-Jin Choi of Korea, who fired a superb 8-under 64. Among other Indians, Aditi Ashok carded a 1-under 71, while Pranavi Urs finished at 1-over. The $5 million tournament in Riyadh features a packed field of 120 players from over 30 countries.

Key Points: Indian golfers Diksha Dagar, Avani Prashanth start strong in Saudi

  • Dagar & Prashanth open with 3-under 69s
  • Hye-Jin Choi leads with 8-under 64
  • Aditi Ashok posts 1-under 71
  • Event features $5M purse, 120 players
2 min read

Diksha Dagar, Avani Prashanth give India a strong start at PIF Saudi Ladies International

Diksha Dagar and Avani Prashanth card matching 3-under 69s in Round 1 of the PIF Saudi Ladies International in Riyadh, trailing leader Hye-Jin Choi.

"a steady start that augurs well for the two-time LET winner - report on Diksha Dagar"

Riyadh, February 12

Diksha Dagar and Avani Prashanth gave India a positive start at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, opening with matching 3-under 69s in the first round at Riyadh Golf Club on Tuesday. The duo were tied 21st at the end of play, five shots behind Korea's Hye-Jin Choi, who surged into the lead with a superb 8-under 64, while Japan's Chizzy Iwai was second on 7-under 65. A few players were still on the course.

Diksha, the highest-ranked Indian on the LET Order of Merit in 2025, put together a composed round with three birdies and no bogeys. She picked up shots on the third, 12th and 18th holes to sign for a clean card, a steady start that augurs well for the two-time LET winner. Diksha, who finished third on the LET Order of Merit in 2023, will be keen to build early momentum in the season-opening event.

Avani, showing encouraging form, began with a birdie on the opening hole before dropping a shot on the fourth. She responded well with birdies on the fifth and eighth to make the turn at 2-under. On the back nine, birdies on the 12th and 15th briefly pushed her close to the top-10 before a bogey on the closing 18th saw her settle at 3-under for the day. Despite the late blemish, it was a confident opening round for the young Indian.

Among the other Indians in the 120-player field, Aditi Ashok finished with a flourish, birdieing her closing hole, the ninth, to post 1-under 71 and sit tied 70th. Pranavi Urs had a tougher day, carding 1-over 73 to be placed T-86, while Hitaashee Bakshi was level par with five holes still to play when the round was suspended.

Singapore's Shannon Tan, the 2025 LET Order of Merit winner and Hero Women's Indian Open champion, made a modest start with a 1-under 71, staying within touch of the leaders in what is shaping up to be a tightly packed leaderboard.

Now in its seventh edition, the PIF Saudi Ladies International has been part of the LET schedule since 2020 and is being staged at Riyadh Golf Club for the third consecutive year. The US $5 million event features a strong 120-player field representing more than 30 nationalities, with several LET and LPGA Tour stars in action.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Solid performance, but five shots behind the leader is a significant gap. The Korean player is on fire. Our players need to be more aggressive with birdies in the next rounds to have a real shot at the title. The talent is there, just need that extra push.
A
Aditi M
It's wonderful to see women's golf getting this kind of coverage and prize money in India. Events like these inspire so many young girls to take up sports. Go Diksha and Avani! Chak De!
V
Vikram M
Diksha's consistency is her biggest strength. A clean card in the first round of such a big tournament sets the perfect tone. Hope Aditi Ashok can also find her rhythm and move up from T-70.
S
Sarah B
Following from the US! Great to see Indian golfers making waves. The field is packed with talent. That 8-under by Choi is incredible. Hope the Indian contingent can put pressure on the leaders in the coming days.
K
Karthik V
Avani's response after the bogey on the 4th was impressive. That's the mentality of a champion. The bogey on the 18th is a learning moment. The tournament is long, and they are well positioned. All the best for round 2!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50