India's Diksha Dagar shot two-under 71 to make a fine start at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open in Nairobi on February 8, Thursday. (More Golf News)
Diksha, who was third in the L🐽ET Order of Merit last year, was tied seventh and two shots behind the leaders at the Par-73 Vipingo Ridge course.
Vani Kapoor and Pranavi Urs also had fine starts but gave up those gains to drop down later as thꦺe Ladies European Tour ﷽opened for the 2024 season.
Vani was set for an un🐻der-par score at 2-under after 17 but a double bogey on the closing 18th saw 🐼her finish at even par 73 and was tied 16th.
Pranavi had a flying star🎐t and was 3-under through seven holes. She was still 2-under after 15 holes before she dropped dramatically. She had a double bo𒐪gey on the 16th and fell to even par and then dropped to 1-over with a closing bogey on the 18th. She was tied 32nd.
Amateur Avani Prashanth, who after finishing T-9 in Women’s Ama😼teur Asia Pacific in Thailand flew to Kenya, was having a tough time at 8-over and will need a very low round to have a chance of making the cut. Avani Prashanth was in Top-10 last year.
Diksha, who won the Czech Ladies Open for her second LET win and finished third at Hero Women’s Indian Open and German Mast🥂ers, started from the tenth and was 1-over through 10 holes, before she found four birdies to get to 3-under. She closed with a bogey on the last for a 71.
Diksha was tied seventh with Aunchisa🅘 Utama of Thailand and Chiara Tamburlini of Switzerland at 2ཧ-under.
Diksha missed the cut last year when India’s Aditi Ashok♍ w𝔍on the event. However, Aditi is not here this year.
Diksha was two shots behind the co-leaders Eleanor Givens, who after being 🐓6-under with four holes to go, dropped late bogeys for a 69.
Cara Goriel from South Africa, playing only her fifth LET event after coming to the Tour last year, also shot 4-under 69, but she was bogey free. The third co-leader was te💝nth tee starter Ireland’s Lauren Walsh, who was also bogey free.
Three players Olivia Mehaffey of England, Italian Ales♚sandra Fanali and Denmark’s Sofia Kibsgaard Nielsen were tied for fourth at 3-under 70 ea♕ch.
