Diksha finishes creditable T-3 in German Masters, maintains good run in LET
Brandenburg (Germany), Jun 19 (PTI) Indian golfer Diksha Dagar missed out on a second career title on the Ladies European Tour, but played well enough to finish tied third at the 2023 Amundi German Masters here.
The T-3 finish takes her up to 22nd on the Race to Costa Del Sol rankings on the Tour.
Diksha, who has been logging fine results in recent weeks, scored her third Top-10 finish on LET in her last four starts with this week’s tied third being the best. It was also her best since the Lacoste Open de France last year.
Czech Republic’s Kristyna Napoleaova rolled in a birdie putt on the first play-off hole to win the German Masters at Golf & Country Club Seddiner See.
After tying with overnight co-leader England’s Cara Gainer at 14-under, the duo headed back down the 18th for the play-off.
Napoleaova birdied to triumph and become the fourth first-time winner on the LET in 2023.
Diksha was very much in contention through the first eight holes, and even held a share of the lead at 14-under. But three bogeys on ninth, 10th and 11th pulled her back and she was unable to make up.
Napoleaova was late to the game of golf starting in the summer of 2016 having been a former footballer for AC Sparta Praha when she was younger.
The newly-crowned LET winner has also had battles off the golf course recently after being diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis a few months ago and is amazed to have entered the winner’s circle on Tour.
She started golf less than seven years ago and is now a winner on the LET.
England’s Gainer ultimately finished in second after losing in the play-off.
Germany’s Sophie Hausmann fired the round of the day with an excellent bogey-free 64 (-8) to finish the tournament with a total of 11-under-par.
Hausmann finished in a tie for third place alongside Diksha, who carded an even-par round on the final day.
England’s Alice Hewson ended the tournament in fifth place on 10-under-par after a fourth round of 69 (-3).
Spain’s Carmen Alonso, France’s Celine Herbin and Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson finished in a tie for sixth place on eight-under-par and one shot further back was Italy’s Virginia Elena Carta alongside French duo Agathe Sauzon and Nastasia Nadaud.
In the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol, India’s Aditi Ashok still leads the standings as she has done since the first event of the season but Spain’s Ana Pel ez Trivino is now only 3.47 points behind her.
Sweden’s Linn Grant is third with Czechia’s Klara Davidson Spilkova fourth and Germany’s Chiara Noja in fifth place.
The LET heads to Napoleaova’s homeland next week for the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open, which takes place from June 23 to 25.