02 September 2018: The United States scored a massive ten shot victory over Japan in the World Amateur Team Championship at the Carton House near Dublin. The Republic of Korea was eleven strokes adrift at 18-under 562, on the two best scores through four rounds. The Koreans pipped the Chinese into third place by a four-stroke margin. Sifat Sagoo leads India to 25th place with a four-over total of 294. India ended the week at 7-over 587 in the prestigious amateur event.
The ladies were in Ireland to play the Espirito Santo Trophy, straight from a battling effort in the Asian Games at Jakarta. Sifat was accompanied by Diksha Dagar and Ridhima Dilawari, as the three young women put on a battling effort to rise up the order after a poor start in the first round.
Sifat started the week with a 78 in the opening round on the Montgomerie Course. Her effort wasn’t even among the two best scores for India. But she played remarkably well from there to make amends and play a big part in turning around the fortunes of her team.
Diksha Dagar shot a 74 while Ridhima Dilawari made 77 in the first round, giving India a 7-over score of 151. In the second round, it was Ridhima’s turn to soak up a futile card. She shot 75 on the O’Meara Course.
Sifat came to the party with a spectacular 67, that was blemish free. The O’Meara course plays to par at 73
and Sifat produced six birdies in one of her best rounds of a blossoming career.
Diksha also threw herself in with a wholesome effort in the second round. The young woman made two bogeys and two birdies in her 73 on Thursday. Ridhima shot a 75 to turn her card inconsequential to the team.
They were back on the Montgomerie Course for the third round. This time around, Diksha had the best score on the day, with a 76. Sifat shot 77, while Ridhima made an 81.
Returning to the O’Meara Course on Saturday, it was the turn of Ridhima to redeem herself with a brilliant two-under score of 71. After a week of travails, it must have helped her to score the low round of the day for the Indian team.
Sifat shot two bogeys and three birdies in the final round. She shot one under 72 to add to the effort of Ridhima to push India up the order. Diksha shot 74 in the final round.
The team, led by captain Nandita Rao, showed great heart to finish the week on a high with a team card of 3-under 143. They were 7-over for the week.
In the individual event, Sifat was the best placed Indian at T46. Diksha was T63 while Ridhima ended the week in T99.
Ayean Cho accounted for most of everything that Korea did during the week. Cho was a very deserving winner of the individual event with a 17-under total of 273. Jennifer Kupcho of the United States was in second at 275. Japanese Yuka Yasuda also tied in second at 15-under , having started the week with scores of 65 and 67.
American Kristen Gillman finished in fourth place with a 12-under total of 278. Canadian Jaclyn Lee fought back from an opening round 76 to finish in fifth place at 282.
German Esther Emily Henseleit and Australian Rebecca Kay were tied in sixth at 7-under 283. Mohan Du of China, Italian Alessia Nobilio, Swiss Albane Valenzuela and Mexican Maria Fassi completed the top ten with matching scores of 5-under.
