Riyadh, Feb 12 (IANS) Three of the five Indians in the fray at the USD 5 million Saudi Ladies International golf survived the cut at the halfway stage at the Riyadh Golf Club on Thursday. The best of the lot was the youngest star, Avani Prashanth, who added a fighting 1-under 71 to her first round 3-under 69 to get to 4-under total. She was 35th.

Aditi Ashok, a five-time winner on LET, shot a solid 33-under 69 to get to 3-under total and was Tied-43rd, while Pranavi Urs (69) played a bogey-free round. After paring the entire back nine, which was her first nine, Pranavi had three birdies, which helped her make up for her first round 73. At 2-under total, she was T-51 and ensured herself the weekend action.

Diksha Dagar was unlucky to miss out by one shot as she carded 2-over 74, and her total of 1-under for two rounds saw her make an early exit. Hitaashee Bakshi (74-72) also missed the cut. Diksha had two bogeys and just could not get her putts to fall, and was left without a single birdie.

Avani, an early starter from the tenth tee, made a great recovery after being 2-over through her first six holes. She dropped shots on the 11th and the 15th. She fought back superbly with a birdie on the 18th and added two more on the fifth and the seventh to give herself a chance to make up further ground on the weekend.

Aditi, who was in the first group from the first tee, had an early bogey on the second but then picked four birdies without dropping any more shots for a 69.

England’s Mimi Rhodes, who showed great talent last season, led the field at 11-under as she added 69 to her first round 64, and she was chased by South Africa’s Cassandra Alexander (67-67), who was one behind at 10-under. Sharing the second place with Cassandra was Chizzy Iwai (65-69).

–IANS

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