Aditi Ashok showcased her game and grit, holding her nerves in the final holes to card a final round 66 and pull off an exciting two-shot victory over Dutch woman Anne Van Dam in the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open, the year-ending tournament on the Ladies European Tour on Sunday.
The 25-year-old started and finished her season on LET in style, having won the opening event, the Magical Kenya Ladies Open, by nine shots in February. It is the biggest victory for the Bengaluru golfer, who pocketed a winner’s purse of € 97,500.
Aditi finished on 17-under par (69, 68, 68, 66 =271), ahead of Anne (69, 71, 65, 68= 273). India’s Diksha Dagar was tied seventh at 10-under (72, 71, 68, 67= 278), though she finished third in the Race to Costa Del Sol (LET Order of Merit) rankings with Aditi, who played only eight events, fourth. Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab won the title despite a tied 55th finish.
It has been a brilliant season for Aditi with the changes she had made to her swing clearly raising her game to another level. Besides the two wins on LET this season, she was second in the Saudi Ladies International, third in the Lalla Meryem Cup, all in February, and won silver in the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Tied second through the second and third rounds, Aditi trailed Dutch playing partner Anne Van Dam, a five-time winner on the LET who led by one shot until drama unfolded on the 15th hole leading to a rousing finish under the afternoon Spanish sun.
Anne’s tee shot on the par-five hole veered to the right and settled amid stones next to a tree, forcing her to lay up on the fairway, find the fringe of the green with her third, and eventually saving par.
Aditi, flawless from tee to green, birdied with a brilliant putt off at least 17 feet to tie for the lead. Her precision off the tee on the par-3 16th then left her with a two-footer for birdie while Anne’s tee shot spun back to 15 feet off the pin and she two-putted for par.
The par-14 17th showcased Aditi’s skill and temperament. The driver off the tee and an accurate second shot left her with an 8-foot putt for birdie, which she sank. Her fourth birdie in five holes – she had five birdies on the back nine, including three in a row from the 15th to 17th – left her with a two-shot cushion going into the final hole. Anne was again frustrated after her 25-foot birdie attempt rolled to the left of the hole, leaving her with another par.
The drama wasn’t over. On the 18th, Aditi found the fairway rough to the right and landed her second shot on the bunker, leaving her with a tricky third to get on the sloping green. Although Anne’s second shot landed nine feet off the pin, she needed a birdie and the Indian had to bogey to force a tie.
But Aditi was creative with the wedge, aiming for the fringe of the green to get the ball to roll down the slope to three feet off the hole, sealing a great win.
“I started slow and missed some birdies, but glad it picked up on the back nine,” a delighted Aditi said after receiving the winner’s trophy. “It was a great battle, especially Anna when she plays well…she is a great player.”
Aditi (added: “She hit the trees and I made a great putt. That was the switch moment. And I made sure I had a good look at par on the 18th.”