Avani Prashanth seals full LET playing rights for 2025 season

Avani Prashanth, 18, earned her Ladies European Tour card for 2025 with a determined display in Morocco this week. Image courtesy IGU.

By Rahul Banerji

Bangalore teenager Avani Prashanth will join city-mate Aditi Ashok as a full-time member of the Ladies European Tour after sealing her card for the 2025 season on the final day of Q School in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Friday.

The 18-year-old, a two-time national champion, shot a closing 3 under par 70 at the Al Madeen course to total 11 under 352 over five rounds between Al Madeen and The Royal Golf Marrakech with cards of 69, 69, 73, 71 and 70.

Avani’s 70 on Friday at Al Madeen had four birdies against one dropped shot.

Already holding LET playing rights besides Aditi are Diksha Dagar, Tvesa Malik and Pranavi Urs, another Q School graduate who had an impressive rookie season in 2024. With Avani now joining them, it sets up a promising year for India’s women professional golfers.

In men’s action, Ajeetesh Sandhu retained his Asian Tour card with a tied 27^th place finish in the Q School Final Stage at Hua Hin. After five completed rounds, Sandhu finished at 11 under par 344 (63-70-68-71-73).

Avani, a storied amateur while still in her teens earned Category 12 status (full playing rights) for next year for finishing inside the top 20 and tied places.

In company

Also earning LET status in Category 16 with fewer starts for the season were the WGAI Hero Pro Tour’s top two finishers, Hitaashee Bakshi and Sneha Singh in tied 36^th place.

While Sneha came through the 54-hole pre-qualifier, Hitaashee earned a direct entry into the final stage of Q School on the strength of her top finish in the Hero WPGT Order of Merit.

Both tallied 6 under 357 totals, Hitaashee with cards of 76, 77, 67, 68 and 69 while Sneha recorded scores of 73, 70, 72, 70 and 72.

Amandeep Drall (70-71-72-72-74) took a share of 48^th place on 4 under 359 for Category 18 status with the final cut having fallen at the top 69 and ties.

Vani Kapoor (72-73-75-73) and Vidhatri Urs (77-68-78-71) were T78 and T86 not having qualified for the fifth and final round at Al Madeen and will get Category 19 status giving them starts on the LET Access Series.

At the top, Ecuador’s Daniela Darquea fired a final round of 5 under 68 at Al Maaden to become the first from her country to earn playing rights in the LET, the tour website said.

Darcey Harry of Wales had an excellent final day shooting an 8 under 65 to take second place on 23-under-par with Germany’s Polly Mack two shots further back in third.

New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey also fired a final round of 65 which included an eagle, seven birdies, and one bogey to end the week in fourth place on 20-under-par.

Competitors at the 90-hole five-round qualifier alternated between the par-72 Royal Golf Marrakech and the par-73 Al Maaden Golf Marrakech courses with the final round at the latter venue.

Asian Tour Q School

Thirty-five thrilled and relieved players secured their cards for next year after the five-round Final Stage of the Asian Tour School concluded on Saturday.

While Sandhu was inside the top 35, Arun Sharma was 74th, Karandeep Kochhar was 81^st, Chikkarangappa S. was 88^th, Pukhraj Singh Gill 91^st, Rashid Khan 95^th Aryan Roopa Anand 107^th, and Anshul Kabthiyal 136^th.

Japan’s Takumi Murakami took top spot and along with the other graduates soon faces the exciting prospect of competing on a 2025 schedule of significant scale, which at the moment boasts a total of 22 events offering prize money of over $30 million – with more tournaments to be added.

Murakami, the leader at the start of the day, fired a one-under-par 70 to finish on 20-under and beat Korean Kyungnam Kang by one, the Asian Tour said.

Kang shot a 69, while his compatriot Doyeob Mun claimed third, another shot back following a 68. Australian Jack Thompson (68) tied for fourth with China’s Bai Zhengkai (67).

Scores in Marrakesh

Avani Prashanth T16, 11 under 352 (69-69-73-71-70)

Sneha Singh T36, 6 under 357 (73-70-72-70-72)

Hitaashee Bakshi T36, 6 under 357 (76-77-67-68-69)

Amandeep Drall T48, 4 under 359 (70-71-72-72-74)

Vani Kapoor T78 3 over 293 (72-73-75-73)

Vidhatri Urs T86 4 over 294 (77-68-78-71)

Scores at Hua Hin

Ajeetesh Sandhu T27, 11 under 344 (63-70-68-71-73)

Also read: Sneha, Amandeep lead four-strong group into LET Final Qualifiers