South African Women: Diksha Dagar shot 1-over 73 to be T-53rd after the opening day at the South African Women’s Open at the par-72 Erinvale Country & Golf Estate. Tvesa Malik was 1-over after 16 holes, while Ridhima DIlawari carded 2-over 74 and Vani Kapoor scored 3-over 75.
England’s Rosie. Davies shared the early lead with Switzerland’s Elena Moosman with 6-under 66 each. Moosman, 22, has come through the LET Access Series.
Last year Diksha had one win in the Czech Republic and two Top-3 finishes in the German Masters and Women’s Indian Open, among her 10 Top-10s. This season she already has three Top-10 finishes.
In the opening round, she had four birdies and five bogeys. She was always fighting to stay in the round and It was a constant battle she was never better than 1-under nor was she ever worse than 1-over, which is where she finished. On the back nine, twice she had back-to-back bogeys and once she had back-to-back birdies.
Also, at one-over and T-53 was Tvesa Malik, a multiple-time winner on her home Tour, the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, was 1-over with one more hole to play. Ridhima Dilawari with three birdies and five bogeys was 2-over and in Tied-67th place while Vani Kapoor had an interesting round with an eagle on par-4 fifth hole followed by a double bogey on Par-4 sixth. She had three other bogeys in her 75 and was T-81 needing a solid second round to make the cut.
As Davies and Moosman shared the lead, Julie Boysen Hillestad of Norway was third with 5-under 67 and six players were at 68.