Aditi best Indian at tied 13th, Emily wins Women’s Indian Open golf

INDIAN AMATEUR GOLFER Aditi Ashok scored five-over 77 in the third round to finish tied 13th, while Denmark's Emily Kristine Pedersen won the title following a 73 in the $400,000 Hero Women’s Indian Open at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon on Sunday.

Aditi struggled with three birdies, four bogeys and two double-bogeys for a 77 that took her total to nine-over 225. She was nine strokes behind Emily, who registered a wire-to-wire one-shot victory over fended off a strong challenge from Cheyenne Woods (one-under 71), Becky Morgan (73) and Malene Jorgensen (72).

Among other Indians in the fray, Vani Kapoor scored 75 for an 11-over 227 total and shared the 20th spot with nine others. She was adjudged as the best Indian professional at the tournament. 

Saaniya Sharma and Smriti Mehra ended tied 60th and 62nd respectively.

Emily, who began the day atop the leaderboard, was under constant threat from Cheyenne of the United States but held her nerve to eventually get over the line. The 19-year-old from Copenhagen started the day with a bogey on the first hole but recovered with a birdie on the ninth. 

On her way back, she carded a birdie on the 11th before dropping a shot on the 14th to concede her lead momentarily. She recovered soon with a birdie on the 15th but again dropped a shot on the 17th which saw her surrender the advantage yet again.

Then it seemed the winner would be decided only through a play-off, but a folly by her closest challenger Cheyenne on the last hole made it easier for Emily. 

And even though she carded a bogey on the last hole, it was enough for her to pocket the winner’s cheque of $60,000.

"It feels amazing to win in India. I feel proud of myself. The memories of loss in France were flashing back to my mind, but I am happy that nerves didn’t get on to me and I clinched my first title.”

“On 17th hole, I felt I could win the title, but a bogey there made me nervous. On 18th, I was thinking about my loss in France, thoughts of play-off were also coming to my mind, but in the end I won the title and that matters. I will definitely come back to India next year to defend my title," Emily said in a release.