Team Kouskova win Aramco Korea Championship as Indians slip

Members of Team Kouskova celebrate their victory at the Aramco Korea Championship in Seoul on Saturday. Image courtesy let.com.

By Rahul Banerji

Diksha Dagar and Pranavi Urs dropped into a share of 32^nd place but in contrasting fashion at the Aramco Korea Championship as Team Kouskova emerged winners of the 36-hole event on Saturday.

The two Indians took different routes at Seoul’s New Korea Country Club only to end up losing ground on the leaders with 3 over par 147s as defending champion Hyo Joo Kim moved into pole position on 4 under 140.

Diksha rallied from a front nine of 3 over to card a 74 on the day while Pranavi dropped three shots on her second nine in her matching 74 after both had opened with 1 over 73s on Friday, the WGAI said.

Rookie Avani Prashanth (79-73) despite a good second round failed to make the cut along with Tvesa Malik (79-76).

In the Individual event, home favourite Hyo Joo Kim led Lee-Anne Pace by a shot on another rain-hit round, carding a second consecutive round of 70 (-2).

With South Africa’s Pace solo second on 3 under par 141, Ecuador’s Daniela Darquea and France’s Perrine Delacour – a recent winner at the Investec SA Women’s Open – were third on 2 under 142.

Joint effort

In the team competition, Team Kouskova that Pace, Brianna Navarrosa and Patricia Schmidt (21 under) beat Team Delacour, which also had Maha Haddioui, Eleanor Givens and Polly Mack by a single stroke.

Pace birdied the final hole to clinch the victory for Team Kouskova while Team Diksha were seventh and Team Pranavi, which included Avani, were T11. Tvesa, part Team Pia Babnik, finished in a tie for 24^th place.

Diksha dropped three shots on the front nine, but she recovered well thereafter with one eight pars and a birdie. Pranavi was level par for her outbound nine after starting from the 10^th tee, but gave away three bogeys on her second nine.

Seven players share fifth on 1 under 143 including Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini, Norway’s Dorthea Forbrigd, Sweden’s Johanna Wrigley, Australia’s Kelsey Bennett and Germany’s Schmidt, Polly Mack and Chiara Noja.

With the team event at the $2 million tournament decided, the focus will now be on the 54-hole Individual competition.

Also read: Diksha, Pranavi in shared 17th place on rainy first day in Seoul