Nov 26, 2016: Aditi Ashok continues to leave golfing pundits confounded with her majestic march around the courses. Just a tender 18 still, the young lady is soaring into the skies like a woman in a seizing hurry. The Indian made it two in two when she outclassed an international field of leading European Tour golfers with a majestic three shot victory to win the Qatar Ladies Open. Aditi Ashok (70-66-68-69) pipped Caroline Hedwall 273 to 276 to win the second Ladies European Tour event of her nascent career.
Coming off a sensational final hole victory in the Hero Women’s Indian Open, Aditi made a sedate start to the week in Doha, before firing ahead of her opponents with a stellar performance in the middle rounds.
Lying T15 at the end of the first day, Aditi flew out into second place with a spectacular 66 in the second round. She consolidated her grip over the tournament with a seasoned 68 on Friday, before accomplishing a memorable victory with a poised 69 today.
Aditi also solidified her status among the top ten of the LET Order of Merit with a substantial cheque of Euros 75,000 for her exploits at the Doha Golf Club. She rose to third on the list with her second straight victory.
Starting the final round tied for the lead with Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Aditi made six straight pars to keep herself firmly in the lead. Meanwhile, her Danish opponent, looking to play a touch aggressive had conceded a bogey at the second to fall slightly back.
Nanna recovered well with a pair of birdies at the fifth and seventh, but an irrepressible Aditi Ashok responded with back-to-back birdies at 7 and 8. Nanna shot herself in the foot when she made a double bogey at the par-5 ninth.
As the final pair made the turn, in the groups ahead was Caroline Hedwall. The Swede made five birdies through the 13th hole to pile on some late pressure on the coasting Indian.
Aditi Ashok though was unperturbed by the weight of the occasion or by the shifting sands on the leaderboard. The turn was made in 34 strokes and she was very much in the driving seat, adding another birdie at the 16th to go ahead by three shots.
Caroline Hedwall had signed off with a fine 67, tempered only by a bogey six at the final hole. Aditi Ashok contributed a bit to the late excitement with a bogey at the penultimate hole, but it was too late for her to suffer any real damage.
The young Indian signed off with a brilliant birdie at the par-5 18th hole to claim a three-stroke victory. It was a remarkable effort by the young lady, playing in her seventh event in eight weeks.
“It’s been a great few weeks. I won my home event in the Indian Open, which was my first win. To win back to back events feels really good,” Aditi told the LET.
“It was really difficult at the start because of the rain. Then we stopped for more than an hour and a half and when we got back it was really windy, so that was difficult, but I guess it was the same for everybody. I was trying to hit greens and make pars,” she added.
Another great challenge lies ahead of her as she crosses the ocean to the American continent. Aditi Ashok will play the final of the LPGA Q School event in Florida next week. The top 20 in that event will earn a full card to the LPGA Tour for 2017.
