Choker? Don’t say that again. Far from the madding crowd, Aditi Ashok clinched a big title at the Andalucía Open de España on Sunday.
Aditi came into her own over the weekend to exorcise ghosts of the past in the sylvan, coastal settings in southern Spain. A win on the Ladies European Tour (LET) has to be accorded importance. It features some top players of the world.
The win in the season-ending event in Malaga fetched €45,000 and lifted the Indian to third on the LET earning list for 2023, with €672,337 (according to LET website). This was her second triumph this year after the season-opening event in Mombasa in Kenya.
“Win sandwich! From Mombasa to Malaga it’s been an exciting season,” Aditi posted on social media.
However, the larger Indian audience will remember Aditi’s 2023 for her missing the Asian Games gold in extraordinary fashion. Heading into the fourth and final round, she had a lead of seven strokes. On a horrific last day, she blew it away and settled for silver. Back in Tokyo in 2021, she had suffered another forgettable last round to finish fourth, after being firmly in medal contention.
In this, it was forgotten that the silver in Hangzhou was the first-ever medal in golf for an Indian woman at the Asian Games. Or, that Aditi is the only Indian woman golfer to have taken part in the Olympics.
Those present at the golf course in Hangzhou on that fateful final day will agree, it was just one bad day for Aditi. The script in Spain was more solid, that of a professional who mastered the course.
“It started out slow. I was missing a lot of birdies on the first six to eight holes,” Aditi told the LET website after the win. She was not the leader going into the last day and yet, she edged out Anne Van Dam of the Netherlands by two strokes.
“I hit it close on seven, after that I felt like I still had a chance. Initially, it felt like I was two shots away the whole time. I’m glad it picked up on the back nine. It was a great battle. Anne, when she’s playing good, can blow the field away and win by five to 10 shots. I knew I had to not stop making birdies and to keep trying. Her par when she hit the trees on 15 and my long putt, that switched the momentum a little bit. She is a great player and kept me honest out there,” said Aditi.
“Starting my season with a win in Kenya was special but ending the season with a win here in Spain is the highlight. Thanks to all my fans and all those who have been following me through the year,” said the 25-year-old from Bengaluru.
Life as a professional golfer is hard, especially if you are a woman playing the game in India. There are not many sponsors. Media attention is minimal. At the Asian Games, she had told this writer: “I hope my historic silver medal will inspire more girls to play the sport of golf in India. I also hope the sport finds more support from the sponsors.”
Aditi is hoping that the 2024 season will also be good. In Tokyo, she seemed to have closed in on a medal before it went awry. In Paris, she should be able mount a more serious challenge. She is high on confidence. Importantly, her latest win will be inspirational also for other Indian women athletes