Diksha wears IGU Southern India crown

Diksha Dagar countered a torrid start with a sizzling finish to emerge champion in the IGU Southern India Ladies & Junior Girls Golf Championship near here on Thursday.

Haryana’s Diksha, who dropped four bogeys on the opening nine, showed nerves of steel on the inward journey, firing an equal number of birdies to wrap up a four-shot victory at the Clover Greens Golf Club in Hosur. Diksha, competing in Category A (15-17 years), clinched the overall title with a total score of 211 following a final round of two-under 69.

Opening leg winner last week, Sifat Sagoo, also from Category A, ended runner-up after a 72 while Gurjot Badwal endured a disappointing finale, shooting a 76 to end third at 217.

Diksha started on a positive note, notching up a birdie on the second hole itself. But back to back birdies on the fifth and sixth holes pullled her back. She picked up her second shot of the day on the seventh but dropped shots on the eighth, ninth and 10th holes.

Despite beng under pressure, Diksha birdied the 15th, 16th and 17th holes to gallop away with the title even as he rivals endured ordinary outings.

Leading scores (after 54 holes): Ladies: 211: Diksha Dagar (75, 67, 69); 215: Sifat Sagoo (69, 74, 72); 217: Gurjot Badwal (74, 67, 76).

Category A (15-17 years): 211: Diksha Dagar; 215: Sifat Sagoo; 218: Tanirika Singh (82, 69, 67).

Category B (13-14): 220: Sneha Singh (75, 71, 74), Pranavi S Urs (74, 70, 76); 222: Nayanika Sanga (77, 69, 76). Category C (11-12): 221: Rashmi S (74, 72, 75); 231: Monisha Chowdary (82, 78, 71), Agrima Manral (75, 78, 78).