Golf: Avani Prashanth finishes creditable T5 in LET event
It was slightly bittersweet in the end for the teen from Bengaluru who played excellent golf across the first three rounds to card 68-69-69, but a final day 3-over 75 as part of the lead group pulled her down from pole position.
This though was Avani's best finish as a professional – she had tied-5th and lower finishes as an amateur at the Hero Women's Indian Open – after turning pro last October and earning her LET card for this season in December.
The last round blip notwithstanding, the overall performance in Belgium has only boosted the belief of India's previously top ranked amateur woman golfer that she has it in her to compete among the pros and fight for bigger things.
'It's my first one (top-5 finish) as a professional, so of course I'm really happy with this,' Avani told HT after the final round. 'It's just a reassurance that I know I can compete and beat the best.'
Avani certainly flaunted that mindset on Saturday, securing four birdies on a windy course to lead the field by one shot after the third round. Looking ahead to the final round, Avani had spoken of 'some nerves' and her love for playing 'under pressure' and while 'chasing'. Being chased on the final round, therefore, was slightly different territory for her.
She began with a couple of bogeys and could never really bounce back from that stutter. The youngster also bogeyed the par-five 9th to slip further. A birdie on the par-5 13th lifted her but a bogey on the 18th after a wayward tee shot saw her sign off with a 3-over 75. Avani finished tied-5th with Lauren Walsh of Ireland on 7-under 281, having started the round on 11-under.
Darcey Harry, 22, of Wales, shot an excellent final round 68 to win her first LET title at 13-under 275.
Avani, the first Indian to win the Queen Sirikit Cup and who played in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games at 17, was gutted about the final round, yet pleased about her overall tournament.
'It's been a great week, but I expected it to end a lot better than it did,' she said. 'I played some great golf over the past three days, so really, besides the final round, I have no complaints.'
Diksha Dagar finished tied-23rd (1-under 287) while Tvesa Malik was tied-48th (5-over 293).
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