Aditi finds her zone and a rare win

It’s a clear indicator of how well Aditi Ashok played at Vipingo Ridge in winning the Magical Kenya Women’s Open that two of her best shots during the week, did not even end up making birdies for her.

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You know a golfer is on to something very special when that happens. It means the player is in a zone where he or she can talk to the ball, and command it to do things. It’s a place every golfer wants to be, but very few can reach.

The 24-year-old from Bengaluru was in that zone on all four days.

“The first was a drive on the 16th hole (a 415-yard par-4) during the third round, because I had to hit a blind shot over trees on a hole that had water on the left and bushes on the right. Just hit a really good drive that cut the corner, which was proof that I can hit drives like that under tough situations,” recalls Aditi.

“And then there was the approach shot on the 18th hole in the same round. I was bogey-free on a tough day and did not want to spoil that. I just hit what was a perfect fade (a shot that shapes from left to right) into a right-to-left wind with a 7-iron.

“I did not birdie either of the holes, but they were definitely the best shots of mine during the week.”

It also showed that all parts of her game are on song as she starts a new season. The year 2022 was not the best of her career. She barely managed to keep her card on the LPGA – finishing 99th in the Race to CME Globe Point List when the top-100 retain their playing privilege. And her category on the Ladies European Tour would not have been good enough to get her into many tournaments.

“I think all parts of my game were above average, which helped. Also, I played well in the windy conditions so I guess course management and club choices were good all week. I am most pleased with my driving and putting,” said Ashok, who improved to No173 in the Rolex Rankings, having dropped to 195 through 2022.

Putting has always been a cornerstone of Ashok’s game. She is probably one of the best putters in the game – and that list includes both men and women. But driving has let her down in the recent past. As was evident during the Olympics, the bout with COVID just before her trip to Tokyo stole precious yards from her game.

"Throughout the offseason, I worked on getting back some of the speed I've lost in the last couple years and just being fitter in general,” said the four-time winner on LET, including the 2017 Hero Women’s Indian Open.

“I worked a lot on driving, which clearly showed in Kenya. The Par 5s played a lot easier than usual as I could reach them in two, which always helps in making birdies.”

The immediate reward is that she now gets into the tournaments in Morocco this week, followed by the $5 million Aramco Saudi Women’s International.

Ashok starts her LPGA season later in March, but the early win - even if on the LET - has now made things a lot easier, especially on her schedule.

“My status wasn’t very good on the LET and I needed an invite to get into Kenya. So yes, it definitely eased some of the pressure in playing more event on the LET. It gives me more flexibility to plan my schedule and play more on the LPGA if I want."

Ashok also rediscovered some of her mojo through her new association with Hyundai, where they have been conducting camps and junior inter-school tournaments for more than a thousand kids in various cities across the country towards the latter part of the year.

It’s a journey that Ashok has personally experienced – the pain of struggling to get the right equipment, facilities and playing opportunities – and she is delighted to be able to give back to the sport.

“I don’t know about the kids, but that was a lot of fun for me,” said Ashok. “It was just great to be able to interact with the kids and chat with them.

“Not a lot of people spend money on junior golf in India, so I’m thankful to Hyundai for doing that. It’s a great initiative and I look forward to seeing it grow in the coming years. It’s good for the kids, and I think it is also good for me.”

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