India’s Aditi Ashok stays on course for historic medal in Tokyo

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (IANS): India’s Aditi Ashok continued with her great form as she moved to the second spot after the third round in women’s golf competition, remaining on course for a maiden medal at the Olympic Games.

The 23-year-old Aditi ground out a 3-under 68 in the third round of the women’s golf competition at Kasumigaseki Country Club to be in sole second place on 12-under 201. She was three shots behind leader and world No. 1, Nelly Korda of the United States.

Aditi, whose given name in Sanskrit means “Boundless”, lived up to her calling by continuing to produce some phenomenal golf to be on the cusp of an historic medal for India.

Aditi, who started the day tied for the second spot with three others, was able to pull two clear of a group of four players, Japan’s Mone Inami, Emily Kristine Pedersen of Denmark, Australian Hannah Green and New Zealander Lydio Ko, who all share third place on 203 with 18 holes remaining on Saturday.

Saturday’s final round will begin an hour earlier than on Friday so that the players get out on the course and get back before the potential bad weather strikes, the International Golf Federation (IGF) said in a release on Friday.

Following the return of golf into the Olympic programme in 2016, no Indian golfer, men or women, has won a medal and Aditi knows fully well what a podium finish would mean for the game in the country.

However, she plans to stick to the proverbial “one shot at a time” routine when she joins Korda for the second successive day in the final group which will include Lydia Ko, the silver medallist in Rio.

“I think one more day of golf and a lot happens on the final day. Although it’s just one round, it feels long mentally, so definitely staying patient and hoping we have good weather and hope I play good tomorrow,” she said.