Johannesburg: Diksha Dagar produced another stellar finish for a round of 3-under 70 to finish third-place finish in the Joburg Ladies Open golf championship. Diksha, who started the final day in tied fifth place, carded 3-under 70 on the Par-73 Modderfontein Golf Club and totalled 9-under 283 to finish in tied third alongside Spaniard Luna Sobron Galmes (71). Diksha’s rounds were 73-71-69-70.
This was Diksha’s best finish of the 2024 season and her third Top-10 finish. She was ninth at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco and then tied sixth for Aramco Ladies Florida. This could take her best ranking of the year which is currently 147.
Tvesa Malik, who looked set for a Top-10 as she birdied three times on the front nine had a disappointing back nine as she dropped two bogeys and a double bogey and ended with 1-over 74 and fell to T-29 after being T-24 overnight. Vani Kapoor (74) was T-41 and Ridhima Dilawari (79) was T-66, as all four Indian women made the cut.
Swiss rookie Chiara Tamburlini completed a win with a final round of 70 that took her total to 17-under 275 and she won the title. Thailand’s Aunchsia Utama (71) was the sole second and Diksha was tied third with Galmes.
Diksha had a bogey on the par-3 fourth hole. She parred the other eight holes on the front nine and on the back nine, she birdied 11th, 12th and 13th and added a fourth birdie on the 18th for a round of 70.
Tajmburlini had seven birdies against one bogey in the first 16 holes and then dropped a bogey on the 17th and a double bogey on the 18th as nerves got the better of her, but she had a massive cushion and still won by seven.
–IANS