Sports News | Diksha, Aditi Begin with Modest Even Par Rounds

Evian Les Bains (France), Jul 28 (PTI) India's Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok opened with a modest round of even par 71 each on the first day of The Amundi Evian Championship here.

The Indian duo, who are due to play four straight big events over the next four weeks, were tied for the 50th place, but well in line to make the cut post which the top 65 and ties will play the final two rounds.

Also Read | IND vs WI 2nd ODI 2023 Preview: Likely Playing XIs, Key Battles, Head-to-Head and More You Need to Know About India vs West Indies Cricket Match in Barbados.

South African Paula Reto fired an opening round of 64 (-7) to hold a two-shot advantage over four players Kiwi Lydia Ko, Thai Wichanee Meechai, Frenchwoman Celine Boutier and American Alison Lee, who all shot 5-under 66 each at the Evian Resort Golf Club at the event, which is a Major for women.

Of the two Indians, both of whom are in the top-5 of the Race to Costa Del Sol, the Order of Merit for the Ladies European Tour, Diksha was the first to start from the tenth tee along with Lauren Hartlage and Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg.

Also Read | Will Cristiano Ronaldo Play Today in Al-Nassr vs Al-Shabab, Arab Club Champions Cup 2023 Match? Here's the Possibility of CR7 Featuring in the Starting XI.

Diksha, winner of two LET events in South Africa and Czech Ladies in 2019 and 2023, alternated between bogey and birdies as she bogeyed 11th, birdied 12th and then bogeyed 16th only to get back the shot on 18th.

She again a dropped a shot on first but birdied second and third and for the first time moved to under par. But on the fifth she again gave back the gains and ended even par.

Aditi, who has four wins on the LET since her opening one at home in the Women's Indian Open in 2016, birdied third, 14th and 15th and dropped shots on second, sixth and 17th for a similar 71.

Reto, 33, began her day from the 10th tee and made a bogey on hole 11 but immediately bounced back with a birdie on 12. She rolled in a birdie on 15 before she really got into a rhythm with birdies on 18 and the first before three on the trot on holes five through seven.

The LPGA Tour winner finished with a flourish rolling in a birdie on her last hole for a back nine of 30 (-5) and to lead with a total of seven-under-par.

Nine players are one further shot back in a tie for sixth place on four-under-par including Germany's Esther Henseleit and Norway's Celine Borge.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)