Indian golfers Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar were at tied 14th in the 60-player field after the first two rounds at the Paris Olympics women’ golf competition here on Thursday.
Aditi played 1-under 71 after a first round 72 and Diksha was even at 72 after a first round 71.
Aditi had four birdies, all in succession from the sixth to the ninth against bogeys on the third, fifth and 12th. Diksha was 2-under with birdies on the Par-5 third and Par-3 11th and stayed 2-under till she came to the 18th, where she messed a third shot with
a wedge and ended with a double.
Swiss star Morgane Metraux set the course alight with an 8-under 28 front nine with two eagles and four birdies. The back nine, in contrast, had three bogeys and one birdie in a round of 66 that put her on top at 8-under after being 10-under at one stage with four holes left.
Kiwi Lydia Ko, attempting to win medals in three successive Olympic Games, put herself right behind the top two. Lydia added 67 to her 72 to be 5-under and was two behind Yin Ruoning (72-65) and three behind Metraux.
Aditi is convinced there is a low round lurking around on the final two days, while Diksha Dagar plans to attack even more in the next two rounds.
Aditi said the course was gettable and a low round is possible. “It is (possible to get low rounds). I think today (Thursday) I saw the scores, some players have shot really low rounds. So I know there’s a low round out there,” she said.
“I just have to go out there and shoot it. Usually, the third day is moving day, so just going with that mindset.”
Diksha, inspired by Scottie Scheffler’s final round of 9-under 63 in the men’s competition, said she was going to be aggressive and take her chances. “Like Scottie on the final day to clinch a medal, he played 9-under. So I have to be like him." Diksha has her father Col. Narendar Dagar as her caddie.
Antim trouble
Wrestler Antim Panghal, who caused embarrassment to the Indian Olympic contingent by trying to facilitate her sister's entry into the athletes' village through her accreditation card, may be banned for three years by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
Panghal had crashed out of the Olympics after losing her opening bout in the women's 53kg category on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old, however, insists that the incident happened due to "confusion".
