Women’s Golf: December 2018

Ridhima through to Final Qualifier

Open last month, Ridhima Dilawari posted 5-over-293 to finish 13th in the Lalla Aicha Tour School’s Pre-Qualifier A (November 1-3). Organized at PalmGolf Marrakech Palmeraie, Morocco, the 20-year-old was the only Indian in the 66-strong field. And in so doing, she qualified for the Final Qualifier which will be held from December 16-20.

Pre-Qualifier B at Amelkis Golf Club, Marrakech has been scheduled the week before the final (December 7-10) and will see four Indians—Astha Madan, Diksha Dagar, Tvesa Malik, and Saaniya Sharma—take part.
Lalla Aicha Tour School is the official qualifying platform for the Ladies European Tour.

Thai sensation sweeps LPGA Season Awards

22-year-old Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand completed one of the most stunning seasons in LPGA history. The youngster, currently No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, won the Race to the CME Globe and the $1 million bonus that goes to that winner. She also won the Vare Trophy with a scoring average of 69.415, the LEADERS Top 10 competition with 17 top-10 finishes and the Money title at $2,667,983 and set single-season records in rounds in the 60s (57) and birdies (470).

So dominant was Ariya this year on the LPGA Tour that she wrapped up the points-based Rolex Player of the Year award with three tournaments left.

Aditi retains LPGA Card

20-year-old Aditi Ashok successfully extended her Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) card for 2019 after finishing 74th on the Race to CME Globe. The Bengalurean recorded two top-10s out of 24 tournaments she appeared in this season. Her best result was T-6 at the $1.3 million Volunteers of America LPGA Texas Classic in March. She followed that up with a T-7 at the $1.5 million LPGA Mediheal Championship the following month.
In her last event for the 2018 season, the $2.5 million CME Group Tour Championship (November 15-18) in Florida, Aditi finished T-55. She earned $259,148 (approx. 1.85 crores) in prize money this year.

Winning Them Young

Nelly Korda, who won the $2.2 million Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Open, is all of 20. Victory in Taiwan made her the second-youngest winner on the LPGA Tour in 2018 (after 19-year-old Nasa Hataoka who won the $2 million Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in June) and the ninth first-time winner this year. Here are some more facts about her…

• At 20 years and 3 months, Nelly became the second-youngest American winner on the LPGA since Lexi Thompson who was 19 years, 1 month and 27 days when she won ANA Inspiration in 2014
• Nelly and her older sister Jessica (who has five career wins including one in February this year) are just the third set of sisters in LPGA history who have both won titles. They join Annika Sorenstam (72 career wins) and Charlotta Sorenstam (one win), who were the first to accomplish this feat when Charlotta won in 2000, and Ariya Jutanugarn (10 career wins) and Moriya Jutanugarn (one win, back in April this year).
• Nelly is the daughter of former professional Czech tennis players Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtová; Korda won his lone grand slam title at the 1998 Australian Open