Real Club (Espana), Nov 22 (PTI) Diksha Dagar will need to emerge victorious in the final leg of the Ladies European Tour (LET) here to become the first Indian to win the 2023 Race to Costa Del Sol, the LET’s Order of Merit.
Playing her fifth season on the LET, Diksha won the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open and put together a series of consistent performances to put herself in the frame for the big prize.
The left-handed Indian star is currently lying third behind Thailand’s rookie Trichat Cheenglab and France’s Celine Boutier on the LET’s Order of Merit.
Another Indian competing in the event, Aditi Ashok, is lying eighth on the Race to Costa Del Sol. She has played seven LET events this season, winning the opener in Kenya.
There are six players who have a mathematical chance of winning the prestigious title at the end of Sunday’s play. They are Trichat, Boutier, Diksha, Johanna Gustavsson, Alexandra Försterling and Ana Peláez Trivino.
Trichat, who won the 2023 Big Green Egg Open, has a chance to follow in the footsteps country-mate and 2021 Race to Costa del Sol winner Atthaya Thitikul this week as she is enjoying a 168.84 points lead going into the final leg.
Trichat can become the sixth player to win both the Race to Costa del Sol and ‘Rookie of the Year’ titles in the same season.
Boutier has had an amazing season, which includes wins at the Amundi Evian Championship and the Women’s Scottish Open. She also finished second in the LPGA’s Rolex Player of the Year standings. If she wins this tournament, she’ll win the Race to Costa del Sol.
Johanna, winner of the Lacoste Ladies Open de France, has had a consistent season. The Swede’s form has been building throughout 2023 and her first victory on the Tour came in France in September. The LET winner has to win this week to have a chance of reaching the top spot.
Germany’s Alexandra, winner of the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open and the Mallorca Ladies Golf Open, was a co-medallist at LET Q-School in December last year and has had a steady rookie year on the Tour.
She captured her first LET title in Switzerland in September and added another last week in Mallorca to put herself in the frame for the Race to Costa del Sol and Rookie of the Year. Alexandra will have to win again this week to have a chance.
Ana Peláez Trivino, who was second at the Joburg Ladies Open, Investec SA Women’s Open and the Helsingborg Open, is still looking for her first win this season and a Trophy here could give her a chance to take the Race to Costa del Sol. PTI Corr AM AM AM
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