The last instance of an Indian triumphing at the Hero Women’s Indian Open (HWIO) was in 2016 when 18-year-old Aditi Ashok, who had just participated in her first Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, edged out America’s two-time major champion Brittany Lincicome by a single stroke. This victory represented a pivotal moment in the landscape of women’s golf in India as it marked the first time an Indian secured a title in a Ladies European Tour (LET) event.
Although Aditi will not participate in the 16th edition of the tournament starting at the DLF Golf and Country Club here on Thursday — as she is currently competing on the PGA Tour — several Indian girls will be eager to break the seven-year drought for a local champion. Leading the charge for India will be the seasoned Diksha Dagar, the form-driven Tvesa Malik, and promising teenager Hitaashee Bakshi.
Dagar, due to her credentials and a commendable third-place finish at this venue last year, will carry the hopes of the host country. At 23 years old, she is the only Indian besides Aditi to have claimed victory on the European Tour, with two wins to her name, but she is currently contending with inconsistent form.
“It’s about time we see an Indian winner here,” stated the two-time Olympian. I am excited to be back here. Every year when I play here it brings back wonderful memories. It would mean a lot to win. It is on my bucket list. I have wanted to win this for long, she added.
Tvesa Malik, who celebrated her first victory on the Sunshine Ladies Tour earlier this year—a three-stroke win at the SuperSport Ladies Challenge—along with finishing as the runner-up at the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open, where she fell to England’s Alice Hewson in a playoff, is another Indian golfer to keep an eye on.
I think it is an advantage to have played here before, said Malik. The more you see the golf course, you understand where it’s okay to miss. And I think it can be visually very daunting when you come here for the first time to play. I think we have that advantage. It’s playing firmer and faster this year and I think that would be a challenge, she added.
In addition to the financial boost, a win here could open up new opportunities for Indian golfers. Aditi’s career notably took off following her HWIO victory. Just two weeks after her home win, she secured the Qatar Ladies Open, ended the season in second place on the Order of Merit, and earned the Rookie of the Year accolade. She also qualified for the LPGA Tour for 2017 through the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, narrowly missing out on a medal at the Tokyo Olympics and capturing a silver at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
It’s an amazingly inspiring trajectory, said Bakshi, the reigning OOM topper in the domestic WGAI tour. Bakshi holds the season’s card for the Thailand PGA and has LET Q School, and later USPGA, on her radar. Like Aditi, I also wish to play the PGA and go to the Olympics. My ultimate dream is to win an Olympic gold. I hope the journey begins here. I would like to finish as the best Indian, though a win would be great, the 19-year-old golfer expressed.
With 27 local players, India will have a strong presence in the field of 114 participants. Pranavi Urs and Vani Kapoor both have impressive records on their home course, while Amandeep Drall, who tied for second place two years ago, will be aiming to perform well.
