Diksha Dagar fires 5-under 68 to lead Indian charge at South African Women’s Open

Cape Town: India’s challenge at the South African Women’s Open got off to a good start as Diksha Dagar produced a sparkling back-nine performance to emerge as the leading Indian contender in Cape Town.

The left-handed golfer, who famously won this title in 2019 and has finished third in her own Women’s Indian Open, carded an impressive five-under 68 at the Par-73 Royal Cape Golf Club to be placed tied 11th after the opening round.

What stood out was her remarkable surge on the back nine, where she fired five birdies, showcasing both composure and attacking intent. After a mixed front nine that included two birdies and two bogeys following an opening bogey, Diksha found her rhythm from the 11th hole onwards. Birdies on the 11th and 12th set the tone before she added further gains on the 15th and 16th, underlining her growing confidence.

Among the Indian contingent, even as Diksha led the charge, reinforcing her status as one of the country’s most consistent performers on the LET, Pranavi Urs also put up a solid effort, returning a two-under 70 to be tied 20th.

Pranavi’s round featured a steady mix of recovery and resilience, including three birdies on the front nine and additional gains on the 11th and 17th, though a bogey on the 15th prevented a higher climb up the leaderboard.

Further down, Hitaashee Bakshi (72) and Avani Prashanth (73) were tied 64th, while Tvesa Malik (74) and Vani Kapoor (75) faced an uphill task, placed tied 82nd and 92nd respectively. With the cut looming, the latter group will need significantly improved rounds to stay in contention. IANS

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