Asian Games 2023: Aditi Ashok stays in title contention, shares second spot after carding 66 in Round 2

Indian women's team hold onto the third spot in team event.

India’s Aditi Ashok continued to stay in contention for a medal at the ongoing Asian Games 2023 carding a six-under 66 in the second round at the West Lake International course on Friday (September 29th). Aditi shared the second place with Yin Ruoning of China with an overall tally of 11-under 133, a stroke behind leader Yubol Arpichaya of Thailand.

The Indian began with back-to-back birdies on the first and second holes before draining a brilliant eagle on the par-4 fifth. The four-time Ladies European Tour (LET) winner then birdied the 11th and 15th holes before stumbling upon a bogey on Hole 16. The 25-year-old, who finished fourth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, then made amends with a birdie on the next hole to finish with her eventual tally.

Chinese duo of Lin Xiyu and Liu Yu took the solo fourth and fifth positions respectively with rounds of 67 and 68 respectively. Another Indian Pranavi Sharath Urs jumped seven spots to be placed tied 10th after submitting a card of four-under 68 for an overall score of five-under 139 along with four others.

Teenage sensation Avani Prashanth jumped six spots after carding a 69 to take tied 15th position with an overall tally of three-under 141. In the women’s team competition, India were placed sole third with overall score of 16-under 272. China improved from their overnight joint lead position to take the outright lead at 21-under 267. Thailand kept the pressure on the leaders with an overall score of 20-under 268.

In the men’s section, India's highest-ranked professional Anirban Lahiri (65-67) held on to his ninth place, while Shubhankar Sharma (68-65) lies at T-21. SSP Chawrasia (67-72) slipped to T-29 alongside Khalin Joshi (70-69), who rose three places.

The men are placed sixth in the team standings, which is led by Korea, followed by Hong Kong and Japan.