Aditi continues good run with third-place finish in Morocco

By Rahul Banerji

Aditi Ashok continued her rich early season form, following her victory in Kenya last week with a strong show in Morocco where she finished third in the Lalla Meryem Cup on Saturday.

The result kept Aditi on top of the Race to Costa Del Sol rankings on the Ladies European Tour with 730 points, 500 from the Magical Kenya Ladies Open and now 230 at the Royal Dar Es Salaam course.

She is followed in the standings by Morocco winner Maja Stark of Sweden (500 pts) and her countrywoman, last year’s rankings topper Linn Grant (320 pts).

Aditi was in contention early having started the final day two shots behind Stark and in fact caught up with the Swede on the very first hole, which she birdied and Stark bogeyed.

Stark however responded with three birdies before the turn itself to go four shots clear.

Late slip

Aditi and Grant then were locked in a battle for second place till the 54^th and last hole which the Indian bogeyed to finally finish third.

Grant too had closed in on the winner after starting five behind with a string of birdies on the back nine but Stark was not to be denied enroute to her sixth LET win.

Stark (71-67-69) finished on 12 under par 207, Grant (73-70-68) on eight-under 211 and Aditi (69-71-72) on seven under 212. The result was worth a tidy 27,000 Euros for the Indian star.

“I was very nervous for the whole round,” Stark said on the LET website later. “I get a little bit passive when people are catching up so that wasn’t the best thing in the world. 

“The birdie on 14 was important because I could see Linn was making some birdies.

“I try not to look at the scoreboard, but I could see her draining putts and I thought ‘shoot I really need to keep going!’ Making that putt then gave me a little bit more momentum.

“I just kept going, kept being aggressive, and in the end, I think that’s what’s did it.” 

On her rivalry with fellow-Swede Grant, Stark said: “I love it. There’s the competition against everyone that I have, and then there’s a competition against Linn!

“It’s a good competition that we have against each other and I know we’re always trying to beat each other. For us to come out as top two again feels great.”

Also read: Aditi Ashok romps away with Magical Kenya Ladies Open title