Diksha Dagar finished a creditable third before Aline Krauter added another chapter to the tale of a ‘rookie’ winning the $400,000 Hero Women’s Indian Open golf title at the DLF Golf and Country Club here.
Commencing the final round with a two-shot lead on Sunday, the 23-year-old German shot a third successive round of four-under 68 for a winning tally 15-under 273 that gave her a five-stroke triumph over Sweden’s Sara Kjellker.
During the round where Krauter never trailed, her lead shrunk to one after a bogey on the fourth hole and rose to a high of seven shots between 14 and 16 holes. The eventual five-hole margin came about after Kjellker birdied the 17th hole and Krauter three-putted for a bogey on the final hole.
Krauter’s maiden title on the Ladies European Tour earned her $60,000 and a two-year exemption from qualifying for the Tour events. Kjellker collected $36,000.
Diksha may have fallen short of running the eventual champion close but rose in the LET Order of Merit to the second spot after her seventh top-10 finish of the year, Diksha started with a bogey but improved her chances of a strong finish with an eventful run between the fourth and the ninth holes. Diksha fired five birdies against a lone bogey to take the turn at a 33. However, on the back nine, Diksha could only manage a birdie and two bogeys for a 37. With Krauter looking increasingly steady in the leaders’ group, Diksha stayed in the tied second spot for sometime before falling back following her bogey on the 14th hole.
Bengaluru-based amateur Avani Prashanth was the second-best Indian on view as she carded her week’s best card of 69 to share the fifth spot. Gaurika Bishnoi became the third Indian in the top-10 following a 71 for the ninth spot.
Vani Kapoor, after two days of staying in the top-three, had another free fall as she carded a 78 and shared the 16th spot with Amandeep Drall and two others.
The scores: with prize-money (Indians unless stated): 273 – Aline Krauter (Ger) (69, 68, 68, 68, $60,000); 278 – Sara Kjellker (Swe) (73, 66, 68, 71, $36,000); 280 - Diksha Dagar (67, 72, 71, 70, $24,000); 281 – Hannah Burke (Eng) (90, 70, 72, 69, $14,400); 282 – Sara Kouskova (Cze) (72, 72, 73, 65, $12,400), Avani Prashanth (A) (71, 70, 72, 69); 283 – Gabriella Cowley (Eng) (72, 74, 67, 70, $11,200); 286 — Noora Komulainen (Fin) (77, 71. 69, 69, $9,800), Gaurika Bishnoi (72, 69, 74, 71, $9,800); 287 – Anne-Charlotte Mora (Fra) (73, 72, 68, 74, $9,200). Other Indians: 290 – Amandeep Drall (76, 74, 71, 69), Vani Kapoor (68, 70, 74, 78); 291 - Nishtha Madan (79, 70, 68, 74); 292 - Ridhima Dilawari (74, 71, 73, 74); 293 – Khushi Khanijau (73, 73, 74, 73); 295 – Neha Tripathi (75, 72, 75, 73), Vidhatri Urs (A) (70, 74, 73, 78).
