Aditi Ashok Opens With 70 As Japan’s Aki Iwai Grabs Early Major Lead

Aditi Ashok opens with 70 as Japan’s Aki Iwai grabs early Major lead (Image Source: IANS)

Evian Resort Golf Club: India’s Aditi Ashok made a steady start to the 2026 Amundi Evian Championship, carding a 1-under 70 to be tied-35th after the opening round of the prestigious women’s Major championship at the Evian Resort Golf Club.

Aditi, a five-time winner on the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the 2016 Hero Women’s Indian Open champion, is making her ninth appearance at the Evian Championship. The Indian star, however, has managed only one top-25 finish in her previous outings at the Major and will look to build on her promising opening round over the next three days.

The 28-year-old trails overnight leader Aki Iwai of Japan by seven shots after the first round. Aditi began her campaign with a balanced performance, mixing four birdies with three bogeys in a round that kept her comfortably inside the projected cut line.

Starting on the front nine, Aditi made two birdies and two bogeys before the turn. She added another bogey early on the back nine but recovered strongly with back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes to finish the day under par.

Japan’s Aki Iwai set the early pace with a superb bogey-free 8-under 63, opening a two-shot advantage at the top of the leaderboard.

The 24-year-old, who already has one LPGA Tour victory to her name, produced a flawless display of ball-striking and putting. After starting quietly, Iwai found her rhythm with birdies on the fifth, seventh and ninth holes. She continued her charge on the back nine with consecutive birdies on the 11th and 12th, followed by another pair on the 15th and 16th. A final birdie on the closing hole completed a sensational opening round.

France’s Perrine Delacour delighted the home crowd with a career-best Major opening round, firing a 6-under 65 to take sole possession of second place.

Delacour, a two-time LET winner, began her round on the back nine and produced a strong finish to her opening nine holes, highlighted by an eagle on the 15th and back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th. After dropping shots on the fifth and eighth holes, she responded brilliantly with birdies on the sixth, seventh and 18th to stay firmly in contention.

A five-player group shares third place at 5-under 66, featuring England’s Charley Hull, Sweden’s Maja Stark, Korean duo Haeran Ryu and Jin Hee Im, and Japan’s Mao Saigo.

World No. 5 Hull recovered from an uncertain start after bogeys on the first and sixth holes. The five-time LET winner turned things around with back-to-back birdies on the seventh and eighth before finishing strongly. Birdies on the 13th, 15th and 16th were followed by a spectacular eagle on the final hole as she signed for a 66.

Stark, a six-time LET winner and Major champion, enjoyed a bogey-free day in France. The Swede made three consecutive birdies from the 14th to 16th holes and added two more birdies on the fifth and ninth to join the leading pack.

England’s Cara Gainer and Lottie Woad were among those tied for eighth place after opening rounds of 4-under 67.

Gainer produced a flawless bogey-free effort, while Woad, already a two-time LET winner, matched her with a strong opening performance to remain in the hunt.

England’s Cara Gainer and Lottie Woad were among those tied for eighth place after opening rounds of 4-under 67.

Aditi, currently tied-35th, will aim to improve her position and stay in contention for a strong finish as the championship moves into the crucial second round.

Article Source: IANS