Aditi Ashok makes solid start with 6-under 66 at Gainbridge LPGA

Aditi Ashok makes solid start with 6-under 66 at Gainbridge LPGA

Aditi Ashok started her 2022 campaign on a good note at the Gainbridge LPGA on Thursday.

The highest-ranked Indian golfer in the world, Aditi carded a blistering 6-under 66 to claim the third position after the end of day one game at the Boca Rio.

Aditi, who is searching for her maiden win on the LPGA, made a decent start on the front-nine with 2-under 34. She then made birdies on the 11th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 17th holes on the back nine, with the only bogey of the day coming on the 18th. She finished her round at 6-under.

New Zealand’s Lydia Ko grabbed the top spot after carding a sublime 9-under 63 at the Boca Rio.

Lydia Ko
Lydia Ko

The 16-time LPGA winner, Ko, had a flawless round, and with the help of nine birdies, she claimed the two-shot lead over last week’s champion Danielle Kang.

Kang shot 7-under par with eight birdies and a lone bogey to finish in second place.

The other Indian in the field, Nishtha Madan, who is playing her first event on the most prestigious women’s tour, had a disappointing first-round to end her day one journey at tied-113th.

Madan, the former top-ranked Indian amateur, shot a dreary 5-over 77 in her rollercoaster round; and is now in danger of missing the cut at the star-studded event.

World No.1 Nelly Korda was at tied-11th position alongside 13 golfers after each carded 4-under 68.