Aditi still 65th as Diksha exits in Scottish Open

Irvine (Scotland), Aug 6 (PTI) Indian golfer Aditi Ashok carded a second straight 74 to lie tied-65th at the end of the third round of the Women’s Scottish Open here.

Aditi, who had 73-74 in the first two rounds, added a 74 with two birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey in the third round. Weather has been rough this week, but it was much better in the third round than earlier at Dundonald Links.

Another Indian in the fray, Diksha Dagar missed out of weekend action.

Aditi and Diksha will also play in the Women’s Open next week at Walton Heath.

Frenchwoman Celine Boutier holds a three-shot lead at the end of the third day after firing a round of 66 (-6).

Boutier, who secured her first major title at last week’s Amundi Evian Championship, birdied holes two, three, five and seven before dropping a shot on the ninth.

Boutier continued to impress with birdies on 12 and 14 followed by a bogey on 15 but she finished in style with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 for her round of six-under. The major champion sits at the top on 13-under-par and is in search of back-to-back victories.

Three shots behind the leader are Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit (66) and Sweden’s Maja Stark (72) with the duo on 10-under-par.

Tavatanakit had just one only bogey coming at the first followed by eagles on the third and 14th holes as well as birdies on five, nine, and 12 for her 66 (-6).

It was a frustrating day for Stark who had a bogey on the fourth that was sandwiched between birdies on three and five. The six-time LET winner rolled in back-to-back birdies on nine and 10 but then had bogeys on holes 11, 15 and 18 for an even-par round of 72.

Sweden’s Madelene Sagstr m was in outright fourth place on nine-under-par after shooting a round of 68 (-4) on day three. Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup was one shot further back in fifth place on eight-under-par after also firing a round of 68 (-4).

Three players are in a share of sixth place with Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, Australia’s Sarah Kemp and Japan’s Hinako Shibuno all on seven-under-par.

Four players were in a tie for ninth place with Japan’s Yuna Nishimura, China’s Ruoning Yin, Korea’s Hyo-Joo Kim and America’s Andrea Lee all on six-under.