Kaec (Saudi Arabia), Feb 18: Indian golfer Aditi Ashok was unable to produce the kind of fireworks she did on the first two days, but still came with a round of 3-under 69 to move to 16-under after three rounds at the USD 5 million Aramco Ladies Saudi International here on Saturday.
Aditi, who carded 65-66 on the first two days, could not get her putter to weave the kind of magic it had on first two days, as she fell two strokes behind American Lilia Vu, who has progressed by a stroke each day with rounds of 67-66-65 over the past three days.
Sitting in second place behind Vu was world No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand. Ko, after 64-69 on first two days, added a 66 and moved to 17-under and was one behind the leader.
Sharing the third place with Aditi was the 2020 Saudi Ladies International winner, Emily Kristine Pedersen.
Denmark’s Pedersen won Hero Women’s Indian Open in 2015, a year before Aditi became the first Indian to win on the LET as she grabbed the first of her four LET titles.
Two weeks ago, Aditi won the Ladies European Tour’s season-opener Magical Kenya Ladies Open and last week she was third at the Lalla Meryem Cup.
Aditi was pleased to have another shot at a title as she said, “Yes, definitely. I think I hit it good today, created a lot of birdie chances. Just didn’t hole as many putts as the first two days, but still happy with my game. Hopefully I can hit it as good tomorrow but hole more putts.”
Speaking of the conditions, she added, “Yeah, I think today was kind of hard because the wind direction changed. We’ve played this course I think northwest usually, but today felt like it was three, four different directions through the round. Yeah, that was challenging, trusting that wind, but I think I did okay. I hit a few good shots in there.”
She also admitted that having her Dad on the bag is helping her.
“Yeah, it was good actually. I mean, today I was not holing many birdie putts, so halfway around he was like, stay patient; you’re hitting the ball really good. Just hearing that from your caddie, because I’m getting disappointed through the round, so it was just nice to get a bit of pick-me-up and then finish with a couple birdies. That was good.”
The last three groups in the final are star-studded.
Aditi will play in the second last group alongside Charley Hull of England and Lexi Thompson, while Lilia Vu will go out in the final group with Lydia Ko and Emily Pedersen.
The third last group also has star players Atthaya Thitikul, Georgia Hall and Nasa Hataoka. (PTI)
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