Aditi Ashok brings in her best LPGA finish at Los Angeles event

By Rahul Banerji

Aditi Ashok returned her best result on the Ladies PGA Tour with a tied second-place finish behind Australia’s Hannah Green in the JM Eagle LA Championship on Sunday.

Playing her seventh straight season on the premier women’s professional circuit, Aditi held the 36-hole lead and also led briefly on the final day before a missed par putt dropped her into a three-way tie for first place on a hectic day.

At one point in the $3 million event at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles, five players held a share of the lead before Green dropped a long birdie putt to join Aditi and China’s Lin Xiyu in a play-off on 9-under 275.

The 25-year-old Indian star went out in the first tiebreak hole when her mid-range birdie putt lipped out. The other two converted before the Australian tapped in for par on the second playoff from close range for her second LPGA title after 2019.

Good week

With four Ladies European Tour titles, Aditi remains winless on the LPGA but was happy with her display.

“I think overall it’s a good week.” Aditi told the LPGA website. “I’ve never played in this position on the LPGA, to be near the lead on the first day and stay there the whole tournament.

“The competition is just so deep out here. Ten people have a good tournament but only one can win. I’m happy with the way I played.”

Aditi (66-70-72-67) and Lin (68-74-66-67) were first in the clubhouse having posted 9-under 275s. Green and Lin birdied the first playoff hole on the par-3 18^th while Aditi had par to fall out of the title race.

On the second extra hole Lin hit into a bunker, came out to 18 feet but missed the par putt. That left Green to tap in for an emotional win.

“It’s been a long few years,” Green said later. “I was playing well last year but getting across the line’s been really difficult. I’m proud of myself. I’m really happy.”

Overnight leader Cheyenne Knight, who had a two-shot lead going into the final round, closed with a 2-over 73 and tied for sixth alongside world no. 1 Nelly Korda. Yin Ruoning tied for fourth with Ayaka Furue of Japan.

Consistent display

Having started the year with a win at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open, an LET event, Aditi has put away a couple of difficult years. Though it was her first cut made on the LPGA this season, she was consistent over four days in Los Angeles.

“I think I played good today, kind of like the first day, no mistakes. Just the bogey on 17. Feels like that’s the shot I left out there.”

Aditi now has a week off before the $3 million Cognizant Founders Cup in the second week of May in New Jersey.

“Get a week off so I’m going to relax,” she said on the LPGA website.

“This week was actually a little more exhausting than I thought it was going to be. But, still, I’m happy with where my game is at, so just work on the same stuff and try and do some of this at Founders too.”

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