ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND: Teeing off at the Old Course for the Women's Open may have just been a distant dream for 26-year-old Aditi Ashok and 23-year-old Diksha Dagar, when the Open was last staged at this venerated course in 2013. So, Thursday will be a special moment for the two Indian women golfers at the 2024 $9m AIG Women's Open.
Aditi did play the Old Course two years after it last hosted the Women's Major in 2013. She featured in the final round of the amateur event, St. Rule Trophy, in 2015, on the legendary course and went on to win the Trophy. Twenty five years before her, Annika Sorenstam won the same event in 1990.
To date Aditi is the only Indian to have done so. She has great memories of that. "It feels so good to see one's name at the St. Rule Club (established in 1896)," said Aditi, ahead of the 2024 AIG Women's Open. There is a bench marked 'The St Rule Club' in front of its clubhouse which overlooks the 18th Green.
"It is awesome to be part of that history," said Aditi, who loves such facts and nuggets. Back in 2015 when she won the amateur event, she was already a rising star, having represented India in Indian Golf Union's teams for international events. Diksha, meanwhile, was just about taking her early steps in the sport.
On Thursday, the Indian duo will tee up at the Old Course for only the third time ever. Aditi is grouped with A Lim Kim of Korea and American Cheyenne Knight, while Diksha goes out with Japan's Hikaru Yoshimoto and Casandra Alexander. Both start on the back nine.
Aditi will tee up at the Women's Open for the eighth time. Till the Amundi Evian Championships this year, her T-22 at the 2018 Open, was her best Major result.
This year she was T-17 at the Evian Championships. Diksha, who had a tough time at the Olympics after having been in a car accident ahead of the Paris Games, is now in a better frame of mind with her father, Col Naren Dagar, on the bag.
"All that (the Paris incident) is behind us," said the father. "We took a break last week and are refreshed, though this course is a challenge." Diksha played a practice round.
"The Open is always special," said Diksha. "Last year was good (T-21) but I will try and go better," said the two-time LET winner.
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