By Rahul Banerji
A nerveless display by Aline Krauter carried the German to a facile, five-shot win in the $400,000 Hero Women’s Indian Open at Gurgaon’s DLF Golf and Country Club on Sunday.
Krauter’s closing 4 under par 68 gave her a tournament total of 15 under 273, five shots ahead of runner-up and fellow Ladies European Tour rookie Sara Kjellker of Sweden whose 10 under 278 was enough to beat home favourite Diksha Dagar into third place on 8 under 280.
While Kjellker earned $36,000 and 320 Race to Costa Del Sol points, Diksha picked up 230 points and a $24,000 cheque. The winner climbed all the way up to 38th and will now concentrate on the LPGA Q School final qualifying next month.
Sunday’s result took Diksha into second place on the Order of Merit 1,714.61 points, just behind rankings leader Celine Boutier of France who has 1,792.88 points.
“I am happy with the way I finished,” the 22-year-old said.
“I would like to stay in the present and I am going to continue my game and work on my weaknesses. I am also looking to improve my diet and work on my skills.”
Two-time national champion and Quen Sirikit Cup winner Avani Prashanth won the amateur winner’s plate for her tied fifth place finish on 6 under 282 and DLF golfer Gaurika Bishnoi took a second successive top-10 placing at the event, tied for eighth on 2 under 286.
The result secured Krauter not just a $60,000 winner’s cheque but also LET status for 2024 and 2025 with the rookie having spent the majority of the year on the LPGA.
Teutonic touch
She follows in the footsteps of Olivia Cowan as the second consecutive German winner of the Hero Women’s Indian Open.
It was also three from three for Germany at the Indian Open, Marcel Siem having won the men’s event at the same venue in the early part of the year.
“The support I’ve got this week from everyone, from sponsors, to fans, to little children, to other players in the field has been amazing, which makes it that much more special,” the beaming Krauter said.
“And then obviously being a first time winner on the LET also obviously means the world to me. So I’m excited to tee it up on the LET next year again and hopefully come back to India as well.
“I think my mindset was great. I just started working with a mental coach this week and I think that’s really shown and I feel a lot more level-headed, which is really important, especially around a golf course like this.
Clean striking
“So, I think that worked well for me and then my ball striking was great, which really saved me around this golf course.”
With the security of the win and its benefits behind her, Krauter added, “This win does change the rest of my season, the next couple of weeks for sure. A little less pressure, because I would have had to go back to LET Q-school as well.
“I really loved having both cards this entire year, just being able to sort of bounce back and forth. That’s obviously a great luxury to have. And I think in the future, that would be a great luxury to have as well.
“But like I’ve said, the LET will still feel like home. And I think the camaraderie around on this tour is incredible. And I wouldn’t say that I have the same experience in the LPGA. So I think, yeah, it would always hold a special place in my heart.
Runner-up and Swedish rookie Kjellker extended her solid run of form having come to India with three top five finishes since the KPMG Women’s Irish Open at the end of August.
On her first visit to the country, Kjellker came close to a maiden LET victory at the La Sella Open in July when she led after the first two days before a difficult final round in Spain dropped the Swede to a share of ninth place.
Since then, the rookie’s game has gone from strength to strength as she recorded back-to-back top five finishes at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open and Big Green Egg Open in the Netherlands two months ago.
Improving her LET status as she went, Kjellker finished fourth at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France last month thanks to a fiery final round.
Late run
England’s Hannah Burke took a good fourth ahead of Czech Sara Kouskova, who raced up the leaderboard with the day’s best of 7 under 65 with eight birdies against one dropped shot. Kouskova and Avani shared the fifth spot.
Joint runner-up last year, Amandeep Drall made a late charge to overcome two bad rounds and take a top 20 placing as did Vani Kapoor, who had a day to forget with a 6 over 78 on her home course.
Nishtha Madan, Ridhima Dilawari, Khushi Khanijau and Neha Tripathi were other Indian pros on the leaderboard while Pranavi Urs was the second-best in the amateurs’ standings sharing 36th place alongside Neha.
There was no Indian in the lower section of the final standings that included former winners Camille Chevalier of France and Austria’s Christine Wolf.
Also read: Overnight leader Krauter stays ahead in Women’s Indian Open
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