The only Indian golfer to make history on the international golf scene, Aditi Ashok has consistently shocked the world when it was least expected of her. The 25-year-old has just won her career’s fifth victory at the 2023 Andalucia Open on the Ladies European Tour. It was her season’s second win and that too with a bogey-free fourth round.

In a country of cricket lovers, how did Aditi Ashok choose the golfing greens to be her battleground on which she would go on to achieve numerous accolades and create history? Let’s look at the young Indian’s journey in game golf.

The bright amateur career of Aditi Ashok

On March 29th, 1998, Aditi Ashok was born to the Ashok family in Bangalore, India. After 5 years of experiencing the world, Ashok came across golf while on a breakfast date with her father, Ashok Gudlamani. As per Golf Channel, “overlooking the driving range at the Karnataka Golf Association,” Ashok asked her father, “What is that?”

And soon after, her quest to become the best Indian golfer began. With her parents’ immense support, Ashok started her amateur career at an early. Studying at the Frank Anthony Public School, she started practicing regularly and juggling her studies.

In 2011, Ashok won the state-level championship and then went on to win the National Amateur Title of the Year at the age of 13. This was the beginning of her inspiring career. For the next three consecutive years, Ashok won the National Junior Championship and, in 2014, she held both the Senior and Junior titles.

While winning her country was boosting her golf game, Ashok was hungry for more. In 2013, she made her first appearance at the Youth Asian Games, becoming the only Indian golfer to do so that year. Moreover, she participated in the Youth Olympics and the 2014 Asian Games. Ashok got the biggest break of her golfing career when she won the 2015 Ladies British Amateur Stroke Play Championship. Subsequently, she turned professional the next year on January 1st, 2016.

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However, for her international career, Ashok participated in the Lalla Aicha Tour School. She won the final qualifying event of the Q-school and got her Ladies European Tour card in 2016. After 6 months on LET, Ashok became the only Indian female golfer to participate in the 2016 Rio Olympics at the age of 18. Although she finished 41st; it was a great feat for the golfing community in India.

The various accolades of Aditi Ashok

Ashok’s magnificent career started one month after her appearance at the Rio Olympic Games. She clinched her first victory on LET at the Hero Women’s Indian Open in October of that year and became the first Indian golfer to grab a Ladies European Tour title. In the same year, she won her second title at the Qatar Ladies Open two weeks later.

At the end of LET’s 2016 season, Ashok was awarded the Rookie of the Year Award, adding another accolade to her name. In the second year of her pro career, she moved one step forward and got her LPGA Tour card through the LPGA Qualifying event. Although a constant part of the American Tour, Ashok has not yet acquired a victory over it.

However, at the Ladies European Tour in 2017, Ashok successfully carded her third career win. She won the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open in Abu Dhabi. While spending her time on both tours, Ashok appeared for the second time at the 2020 Rio Olympics. This time she was much prepared and gave it her best. However, she had to suffice with a 4th finish.

The coming years were not as amusing as her recent ones. For the next 2 years, Ashok did not win any titles. After a five-year winless streak, Ashok finally quenched her thirst for the win at the 2023 LET opening event. Ashok won the Magical Kenya Ladies Open in February of 2023 by 9 shots. In the same year, she won the silver medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. and became the first Indian woman golfer in history to do so.

Now, after a win at the LET Spanish Open, Ashok becomes the first Indian woman to win the season-ending LET event. She stands 4th on the Race to Costa Del Sol and is the second Indian in the top five after Diksha Dagar. While this is only her fifth victory in the 7 years of her career, Ashok is destined for many more accolades and awards for her future.

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