Diksha stays in top-15 hunt with steady third-round 70 at Women's Scottish Open
Dundonald Links, July 26
India's Diksha Dagar remained on course for another strong finish on the Ladies European Tour after carding a composed two-under 70 in the third round of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open on Saturday. The Hero-backed golfer climbed into a share of 11th place at one-over-par, leaving herself within striking distance of a top-10 finish heading into the final round.
Playing in challenging links conditions that featured gusty winds, intermittent rain and brief spells of sunshine, Diksha once again showcased the consistency that has marked her 2026 campaign.
The two-time Ladies European Tour winner made a measured start with three consecutive pars before registering her first birdie of the day at the fourth hole. A bogey at the ninth saw her make the turn at even par, but she quickly regained momentum on the back nine.
Diksha produced her best golf of the round with successive birdies on the 13th and 14th holes to move up the leaderboard. She then negotiated the closing stretch without any further blemishes, parring each of the final four holes. A birdie putt on the 18th narrowly missed, but her round of 70 was enough to move her closer to the top 10 with one day remaining before next week's AIG Women's Open.
The latest performance continues an encouraging season for the Indian, who has been among the most consistent performers on the Ladies European Tour in 2026 and is once again in contention for a high finish.
India's other two representatives, Avani Prashanth and Pranavi Urs, were unable to make the weekend after both missed the cut following the second round.
At the top of the leaderboard, South Korea's Jenny Shin maintained her grip on the tournament despite a quieter day. Shin carded a one-under 71 to reach 12-under overall and will take a commanding five-shot lead into the final round.
Shin, who has led the tournament since the opening round, mixed two birdies with a bogey to preserve her sizeable advantage. It marks the first time in her LPGA career that she has carried a five-shot lead into the final day of an event.
Thailand's Pajaree Anannarukarn occupies solo second at seven-under after a three-under 69, while Japan's Erika Hara and Germany's Esther Henseleit share third place at five-under.
With the final round still to come, Diksha will look to finish strongly as she chases another top-10 result and carries momentum into the season's final major, the AIG Women's Open.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Diksha has really matured as a player. Two LET wins already and now consistent performances week after week. She's a star in the making. Shame about Avani and Pranavi missing the cut though—tough conditions out there.
Yes! Our girls are doing so well internationally. Diksha playing some solid links golf—that's not easy for someone from India where we don't have these conditions. Just hope the final round goes well. 11th is very respectable but I know she'll want more. 🙏
Brilliant effort from Diksha. This Scottish Open and then next week's AIG Women's Open—big stage for her. The Hero MotoCorp backing is great for Indian golf. But I think we need more junior programs to produce more players like her. One star is good, but we need a galaxy.
Love seeing Indian women golfers excel abroad! Diksha's consistency is remarkable. Two-under on a tough links course is genuinely good. Jenny Shin is miles ahead at -12 but a top-10 is still very possible for our girl. Come on Diksha! 💪
Watching this from Pune and feeling very proud. Diksha's game has really come together. She's handling pressure well and playing smart. My only small criticism: she misses too many birdie chances from close range sometimes. But overall, fantastic performance! 🇮🇳
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