New Delhi: Still only 26, Paris 2024 would be Aditi Ashok’s third Olympics. It is already an achievement but the golfer would like to cap it with a medal, which would be India’s first in the sport.
She came mighty close at Tokyo 2020, finishing fourth, just off a place in the podium. This time she would eye to do one better, at least.
She was only 18, the youngest golfer male or female, on golf’s return to Olympics at Rio 2016 and briefly led the chart during the second round.
Finally, she finished 41st as South Korea’s Inbee Park won gold in the ladies category. At Tokyo, she showed her true mettle though she fell agonisingly short of the bronze spot.
But she has already made history by being India’s first representative on the LPGA Tour. Since turning pro in 2017, Aditi has won seven professional titles.
All you need to know of Aditi Ashok
Born in Bengaluru, she began playing golf aged only five, encouraged by her father who took her to Karnataka Golf Association. Ashok served as her caddie at Rio 2016 while her mother Maheshwari played that role at Tokyo 2020.
Her parents have provided her steady support as she won the National Junior Championship three times in a row in 2012, 2013 and 2014, holding the junior and senior titles simultaneously in 2014.
In 2013, she was the only Indian golfer to participate at Asian Youth Games and then the Youth Olympics and Asian Games in 2014. She moved to the pro circuit after winning the Ladies British Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 2015.
In 2016, she became the youngest female golfer to win a Ladies European Tour title through her victory at the Hero Women’s Indian Cup.
That year, she also won the Qatar Ladies Open and was named the rookie of the year in the LET.
Past performances
Aditi is the first Indian female golfer to be placed in the top 50 rankings, having bagged a silver medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023, making her the first Indian female Indian female golfer to get an Asiad medal.
In 2023, she also won the Andalucia Open in Spain in November for her fifth LET crown, having won Kenya Ladies Open at the initial stage of the year.
With earnings of US$ 784,990, Aditi finished 37th in 2024, her best year on the LPGA Tour. Though 2024 hasn’t been so kind but she still managed to make the cut for Paris.
“My results have been average (this year). I have played well in streaks but not for all four days,” Aditi Ashok told SAI Media.
“I’m looking at each event with the same importance and trying to do my best for all four days each week. That should get me in a good frame of mind and routine before the Games and hopefully that will be enough at Paris,” she added.
Golfer Aditi Ashok finished fourth at Tokyo 2020 and would eye a medal at Paris Olympics Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
