Aditi Ashok has earned her spot in the AIG Women’s British Open by finishing second in the qualifying stage. She put up a great fight at Panmure Golf Club, carding a two-under 68. The 23-year-old is coming off a historic run at the Tokyo Olympics, where her fourth-place finish made her a national hero in India.
Indian golfer Aditi Ashok sealed her spot for the AIG Women’s British Open after finishing second in the qualifiers. Aditi carded an excellent two-under 68 to grab the second place in the qualifiers at Panmure Golf Club. The 23-year-old Indian star was one of the best performers in the Tokyo Olympics event. Aditi made the entire Indian nation proud as she finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics.
Two Indian women fought for one of the 15 qualifying positions for the Major. Aditi successfully secured her place by finishing second, whereas Tvesa Malik ended up tied for 29th and didn't make the cut. The tournament will take place between August 19th and 22nd at Carnoustie Golf Links, which is situated only three miles away from the Panmure venue.
Carnoustie Golf Links is a legendary venue and the 16th oldest golf club globally. It is no stranger to Major championships, having hosted the Women’s British Open back in 2011. Because of its famously tight fairways, it is expected to be a grueling test for all the competing golfers.
This tournament will be Aditi's 19th Major start, moving up from 18 after her participation in last month's Amundi Evian Championship. This will also be her fourth Major of the current season—a milestone that puts her ahead of any other Indian golfer, male or female, in terms of total appearances. It's worth noting that the women's circuit features five Majors annually, compared to four on the men's side.
Aditi's strongest performance in a Major so far was a T-22 finish at the 2018 Open held at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. This will be her fifth time competing in the Women's Open. During the qualifiers, she showed great resilience, recovering from a one-over start after 12 holes to finish at 2-under. She narrowly missed the top spot, finishing just one shot behind American Lindsey Weaver, while four other golfers tied for third at 1-under.
Former Indian pro Jeev Milkha Singh previously lauded Aditi for her courageous play during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She made history there, finishing fourth in the individual stroke play with a score of 15-under 269, falling just two strokes short of gold medalist Nelly Korda. Aditi's journey has been impressive; she debuted at the Rio Games at just 18, finishing 41st, and became the first Indian woman to win a European Tour title in 2016. Her achievements have breathed new life into Indian golf and inspired a new generation of aspiring players.