Diksha makes modest start at Women’s Irish Open

Carton House (Ireland), Aug 29 (PTI) India's Diksha Dagar stumbled in the final stretch of the opening round to card a modest one-under 72 at the 2024 KPMG Women’s Irish Open here.

Diksha was cruising at four-under through 12 holes when she was hit by three bogeys in the last six holes. Even as the first round was still in progress, Diksha was T-31.

Among other Indians, Pranavi Urs, who opened from the tenth, birdied three in a row from the 11th, but dropped a shot after that to be 2-under through her first eight holes. She was T-12 provisionally in the four-day event which carries a purse of 400,000 Euros at The O’Meara Course.

Tvesa Malik was 3-over 76 and T-101, while Ridhima Dilawari had a tough day at 7-over 80 and was 132nd.

Alessandra Fanali of Italy was the clubhouse leader at 5-under, though French golfer, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard was 6-under through 12 holes and without a bogey.

Nine players, six of whom had finished, were 3-under and tied third.

Diksha opened with seven pars and then birdied the 17th and 18th and added two more on the first and the third. She then spoilt that great start with bogeys on the fourth, sixth and the eighth.

The 22-year-old Diksha, a two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, has had three Top-10 finishes in 2024 of which T-3 in Joburg was the best. Yet it has been modest as compared to 2023 when she had almost ten Top-10 finishes, including a win in Czech Ladies and third place in Hero Women’s Indian Open in India. PTI Cor ATK