Diksha fires 69 to break into top-10 at AIG Women’s Open

Indian golfer Diksha Dagar continued her impressive run with a composed 2-under 69 in the opening round to move into a share of eighth place after the first day of the AIG Women’s Open, the final women’s Major of the season at the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club. 

The 25-year-old left-handed Indian, still chasing her first victory of the year despite a string of strong finishes, recovered from an early bogey with three birdies to position herself inside the Top-10.

Fellow Indian Aditi Ashok endured a difficult day, carding a 3-over 74 to finish tied for 75th and will need a much-improved second round to make the 36-hole cut.

Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul produced the round of the day, firing a superb 7-under 64 to establish a two-shot lead over South Korea’s Haeran Ryu and Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki, who both opened with 66s.

Making her seventh appearance at the Women’s Open, Diksha bettered a shaky start with calm, patient golf on the demanding Royal Lytham & St Annes layout. Her best finish in the championship remains a tied-21st in 2023, while she finished tied-46th last year.

Backed by Hero, Diksha began with two pars before dropping her only shot of the day at the third. She responded immediately with a birdie on the fifth and settled into an impressive rhythm, reeling off eight consecutive pars.

Birdies at the 13th and 16th lifted her into red figures, and she comfortably closed with pars over the final two holes for a confidence-boosting 69 on the par-71 course.

Aditi, playing in her record 39th Major championship — the most by any Indian golfer, male or female — made a bright start with a birdie on the second in her ninth Women’s Open. However, bogeys at the fourth, fifth, 15th and 18th left her with a 74.

Aditi’s best Women’s Open result remains tied-22nd in 2018, and she has previously made the cut only twice in the championship.

World number 2 Thitikul was in sparkling form throughout the day. She built momentum with three consecutive birdies from the fourth through the sixth, added another at the eighth and picked up further birdies on the 11th, 13th and 15th to finish with a flawless 64.

The Thai star has fond memories of Royal Lytham & St Annes, having won the Smyth Salver as the leading amateur here in 2018.

Two-time Major champion Haeran Ryu, fresh from victories at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship, continued her outstanding form with a 5-under 66. She was joined by Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki in second place.

American Yealimi Noh and France’s Celine Boutier shared fourth place at 4-under 67. Boutier’s bogey-free round featured an eagle on the sixth along with birdies at the ninth and 13th.

Japan’s Chisato “Chizzy” Iwai and Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen were tied sixth at 3-under 68, while a group of nine players at 2-under 69 included Diksha, England’s Lottie Woad and Charley Hull, Singapore’s Shannon Tan and Spanish amateur Paula Martin Sampedro.