By Rahul Banerji
Aditi Ashok kept her medal hopes high even as Indian hockey history was being rewritten, but the spotlight on Thursday was reserved for world no. 1 Nelly Korda who simply destroyed the Kasumigaseki Country Club.
Aditi birdied three of her last four holes for a solid 5-under 66 and a share of second place in round 2 of the Olympics women’s golf competition though the focus for her countrymen was elsewhere for a while.
To top it all off, an event-threatening storm is expected to blow in sometime in the next 36 hours.
At the Oi Arena, the men’s hockey team returned to the podium after a gap of 41 years with a hard-fought bronze medal play-off over Germany. In the final, world champions Belgium pipped event favourites Australia for their maiden Olympic gold medal.
Belgium beat India in the semi-finals two days ago.
But back with the golf.
Aditi rolled in the birdies for a bogey-free card to share second place on 9-under 133 with Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen (64) and Emily Kristine Pedersen (63). It was a solid display and one that keeps her in the race for a historic medal.
For her part, Diksha Dagar climbed three places, into a share of 53rd place on 6-over 148 with a second-day card of 1-over 72.
Korda on fire
The attention though, was elsewhere as Korda dominated the immaculate East Course at Kasumigaseki for 17 holes.
She even had a chance to equal the 59 that only IGF president Annika Sorenstam has recorded in women’s professional competition in 2001 but double-bogeyed the final hole.
It still gave her a record-tying 62, 9-under par, for a 4-shot lead in the chase for gold.
A potential trip-wire is a Pacific storm that could bring heavy rain and wind to the area by Saturday’s scheduled final round, thus ravaging the tournament’s schedule to the possibility of a 54-hole event.
Unfazed by Korda’s monster charge up ahead, Aditi returned a flawless card on another steamy day at Kasumigaseki. In 36 holes of the competition, she has just one dropped shot.
Now in her second Olympics, Aditi kept herself well placed to deliver a first ever medal in golf for India with birdies on 2, 5, 15, 17 and 18.
“The last three holes, I had a couple of shots that were just a good number for me and I hadn’t really had any short approaches all day, maybe just a couple,” said Aditi.
Cool head
With the competition possibly cut down to 54 holes, the 23-year-old knows she needs to keep firing at the flags to ensure what would be a monumental podium finish for Indian golf.
“This whole week there’s going to be so many girls making birdies, especially because the weather’s warm and the conditions are favourable.
“I think whatever holes I get to play, whether it’s 54 or 72, I’m not really going to sit on anything, I’m just going to try and be as aggressive and make more birdies,” she said.
Her strong start in the women’s competition has continued to attract plenty of attention on social media at home which Aditi hopes will bring more attention to the sport.
She is dreaming of a medal but is experienced enough now with her experience on the LPGA Tour to know she needs to stay in the present.
“Oh, yeah, for sure,” Aditi responded if she was thinking of a podium finish. “It’s kind of like everyone’s thinking about it. It’s definitely at the back of my mind.
“But on the course, I’m not really thinking much about it. I’m just trying to hit the best shot I can hit. And hopefully, people back home are watching it a lot more.
“I know a few of my friends are staying up to watch, which is cool. The Olympics is huge. In a regular event people just wouldn’t follow it as much, even if it was a LPGA event or a major. So, yeah, I think the buzz has been good so far.”
With mum Maheshwari on the bag this week – her dad did caddie duty in Rio – Aditi reckons it has helped her to give her full attention to her game plan and executing the right shots.
“I think when my dad’s there, he knows my game a lot more, probably sometimes more than I know myself, so I always feel compelled to rely on him sometimes.
“Whereas this week I know my mom’s there, I can ask her anything, but in terms of like golf advice, she may not be able to help me as much as my dad. So I guess I’m committing to my decisions more and being more decisive on my own,” said Aditi, who finished 41st in Rio.
Intense heat
Meantime, there have been no cooling showers as the heat index reached a week-high of 43C/109F.
With more of the same expected on Friday, the field will be starting on both the 1st and 10th tees.
For now, though, it’s all about the 23-year-old Korda, who stands at 67-62 (129), 13 under par.
“Unfortunate that double on 18, but that’s golf and that’s just how it goes sometimes,” Korda said later.
“I had a really good stretch of holes. like 4-under or 5-under through four holes at one point on the back. Or on the front.
“The heat’s getting to me. I just stayed really solid today. On the front I was definitely hitting it better. On the back, I wasn’t hitting it as well but making the longer putts.”
Also read: As disappointed men golfers depart, India’s ladies step up
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