Diksha Dagar prepares to tee off in Sunday’s final round of the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire. Image courtesy let.com.
By Rahul Banerji
Diksha Dagar climbed into sixth place on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit with a solid tied 16th place at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open on Sunday.
The Indian star continued her consistent run on the LET, finishing alongside world number one Nelly Korda and Korean Hyo Joo Kim on 2 over 290 at the Dundonald Links.
A two-time LET winner, Diksha was in contention for a fifth top 10 finish of the season and closed with rounds of 74-73-70-73 at the $2 million event co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and the LET.
The result was good enough to lift Diksha on the LET Order of Merit heading into the season’s final major, next week’s AIG Women’s Open, which will also feature Aditi Ashok in the starting lineup.
At the top, Korea’s Jenny Lin secured an emotional second LPGA title 10 years after her first win at the 2016 Volunteers of America Texas Shootout. It was also her first victory on the LET.
It was a wire-to-wire run for the 33-year-old with rounds of 66, 67, 71 and 75 to total 9 under par 279, two shots clear of compatriot A Lim Kim.
Shin set out on Sunday with a five-shot advantage but saw the cushion shrink after three consecutive bogeys. A crucial seven-foot par save settled her nerves before birdies soon after the turn restored control.
Long wait
Despite bogeys on 16 and 18, she comfortably secured victory, ending the long wait since her previous LPGA title.
“I wasn’t as nervous as yesterday. I feel like I did everything wrong, I just wasn’t hitting it like I was the last three days and I was hitting it into bunkers, bushes, and it wasn’t fun,” Shin said on the LET website later.
“With the three bogeys in a row, I thought, ‘oh boy I don’t know where this is going to go’. I hung in there, so I’m quite proud of myself. I’m very happy.
“My first win didn’t really feel like a win at the time. I didn’t feel like I deserved it, but this one definitely feels a lot different. This one feels like I earned it.
“I started working with my putting coach four years ago and he asked me what my goal was. I said I needed to win before I retire, so I had been wanting it so badly in the last four years. I’m very excited.”
Flying finish
Lim produced one of the rounds of the day, a 4 under 68, to finish sole second on 7 under 281
Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn was third on 5 under 283, while Germany’s Esther Henseleit finished fourth at 4 under 284.
Defending champion Lauren Coughlin tied for fifth with Japan’s Miyu Yamashita, while Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen was seventh at 2 under 286 after a closing 69.
Three available qualifying spots for next week’s AIG Women’s Open went to Wannasaen, Ecuador’s Daniela Darquea and Russia’s Nataliya Guseva.
Diksha started well on Sunday with two early birdies but her momentum was checked by a costly double bogey.
The left-hander bounced back with another birdie before the turn to revive hopes of a top 10 finish before two further bogeys. She steadied herself with six consecutive pars to close out the round in 1 over 73.
The Scottish Open was another solid week for Diksha, who now heads into the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes with confidence.
Also read: Aditi Ashok makes her fifth cut at the Evian Championship
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