Indian Girls Go Through Tough Conditions in Japan
Seher Atwal, Nistha Madan, Pranavi Urs, Jahanvi Bakshi and Khusi Hooda made up the Indian contingent at the Women’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship played at The Royal Club in Japan from April 25-28 and despite trying cold and windy conditions, the first three made it to the weekend rounds, finishing T-28, T-34, and T-48 respectively.
18-year-old Yuka Yasuda from Kobe set the course on fire with her final round of 7-under 65 to clinch the Individual title. She finished with a total score of 11-under 277, eight-strokes ahead of her nearest competitor, Atthaya Thitikul from Thailand, the defending champion.
Said Nistha Madan who flew straight from her season ending college tournament in USA to Japan: “ It was truly a great test of golf and of one’s mindset to a large extent. In conditions like this, it was paramount to keep
a good attitude in order to go out there and compete. After the tournament ended, I knew I came out a better player. To have experienced the course, the weather, and competing amongst the top players in the world was a precious experience that I will cherish forever. The R&A, WAAP and the Royal Golf Club hosted a world-class event from managing f&b to transport and stay, it was extremely comfortable. It is great to see the direction women’s golf is heading in and it was an honour to be a part of such a well-organized and prestigious event.”
Diksha T-22 in Dubai
18-year-old Diksha Dagar from Haryana is having a cracker of a 2019 season on the European Tour. Dagar finished a creditable T-22 at the inaugural $285,000 Moonlight Dubai Classic, played under floodlights at the
Sir Nick Faldo designed – Emirates Golf Club, Dubai from May 1-3.
Diksha, a winner of the South African Open on the Ladies European Tour in March this year and currently ranked 8th on the Ladies European Tour, shot rounds of 74,73 and 70 for a total score of 1-over 217 and was the only Indian player on the field. Previously, she finished T-17 at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco after missing the cut at the Jordan Mixed Open. Spanish star Nuria Itturios won the Dubai tournament by a stroke over Germans Olivia Cowan and Esther Henseleit.
Arshia Mahant shines in NCAA Division III Championship
New York University student 18-year-old Arshia Mahant from New Delhi shot a final round 3-under 69 to finishsolo second out of 140 participants and helped her team win the NCAA’s Division III Championship team
finals, held at Bay Oaks Country Club in Houston, Texas. Arshia was just one stroke behind the eventual Individual winner Cordelia Chan of Williams College.
At the same tournament, another Delhi girl, 19-year-old Tarinni Kakar, a student of De Pauw University, finished in 18th place and her team stood fifth out of 15 competing colleges. Interestingly, both Mahant and Kakar are students of Delhi based instructor Romit Bose.
Vani Kapoor T-34 in Hong Kong
Vani Kapoor played hard in Hong Kong for the $150,000 EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open on the Asian Ladies Golf Pro Tour from May 10-12. She
was tied for the seventh in the penultimate round with scores of 69 and 72 but her final round of six-over 78 dropped her to T-34. She is currently ranked 792 in the world and had recently earned herself an ALPG card in January.
Amandeep Drall (76), the only other Indian to make the cut, finished T-55 at 8-over 224.
Third-Time All America Honour for Seher
Seher Atwal – Division II player from the Rollins College was named First Team All-America by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA).
Atwal earned a spot on the first team each of the last two seasons and was Honorable Mention All-America as a freshman.
The Delhi, India native finished the year ranked fifth in the nation in adjusted scoring average and led the Tars to a No. 16 ranking. She posted a 73.35 stroke average in nine events, shooting seven rounds of par or better.
In her three-year career, Atwal has a 74.85 stroke average in 95 rounds, with 15 top-10s, seven top-fives and three victories.
Sifat Sagoo Back in Action
After taking an eight-month hiatus from competitive golf for board exam preparations, 18-year-old Sifat Sagoo is back in action. She recently finished T-41 at the Ladies European Tour Access Series’ Neuchatel Ladies Open in Switzerland from May 15-17.
The LET Access Series is open to female amateurs who have a handicap of +2 or better, with special permission being mandatory if the applicant is below 18 years of age.
The last time Sifat played a professional tournament was the US$400,000 Hero Women’s Indian Open at DLF G&CC in October 2018, where she finished T-33 and was awarded ‘Best Amateur’ title. Certainly an upcoming star worth watching out for.