Diksha Dagar scripts a bit of history with SA Women’s Open win

By Rahul Banerji

Teenager Diksha Dagar scripted history with a bogey-free final round of 3-under par 69 to carve out a one-shot win at the two million Rand Investec Women’s South African Open in Cape Town on Saturday.

The aggressive Dagar totalled 5-under 211 over the three days to finish one ahead of experienced local golfer Lee Anne Pace, who led the rising Indian star after the second day by two shots.

Dagar, a former World Deaf Championship winner and silver medallist at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics, became only the second Indian to win a tournament on the Ladies European Tour, after Aditi Ashok, who did so in 2016.

Aditi added two more LET wins to her resume and now plays on the LPGA.

Big plans

Diksha also has ambitions of getting to the LPGA, which on current form looks a strong possibility. She played the Women’s Hero Indian Open as an amateur and made the cut.

Said V. Krishnaswamy, India’s leading golf writer, Diksha’s father, Narinder, a former Armyman and himself a scratch golfer, was on the bag, having helped build his daughter’s career including managing the trauma of having hearing problems. Diksha has been wearing a hearing aid since age six.

Dagar was tied fifth at the NSW Open in Australia last week, and began the week with double bogeys in her first three holes. She had one more and ended the first day with a 76, but with scoring tough on a windy day, was still inside the top 20.

In fact, Dagar trailed till late into the back nine on the final day. She started one behind Lee-Anne Pace, pulled to two clear with a birdie but then dropped back again.

Pulling clear

Two further birdies helped her Lee-Anne again and when the South African dropped a shot, Dagar pulled one ahead before both parred the final hole, leaving the Indian with her maiden European title.

Esther Henseleit (70) of South Africa and Michele Thompson (68) of Australia were tied for third on 3-under 212, and Carly Booth (69) of England was fifth on 2-under 214.

After her second round, Diksha had said, “It’s the first time that I’m playing in the leading group, so I am just going to shut out what the others are doing and play my own game.”

Now that’s walking the talk.

Also read: Diksha Dagar finishes fifth at NSW Open Down Under