India's Diksha Dagar carded 1-under 71 to be placed tied seventh, while her compatriot Aditi Ashok was on tied 13th after an even par round with two holes to go in the women's golf competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Wednesday.
Diksha missed her regular caddie, her father Col. Narender Dagar, who was torn between his wife, who is recovering from an accident, and carrying the bag for his daughter, at the challenging Le Golf National, ending up with a bogey-bogey finish after being 3-under.
Aditi, who won everyone's heart with a stirring fourth place in Tokyo, ended with a double bogey during her even par round.
Both Diksha, who won the Czech Ladies Open last year and was tied third at the Hero Women's Indian Open, and Aditi, a LPGA player, hit by disappointing finishes despite solid beginning.
Aditi, playing her third Olympics, was 2-under when she came to the 18th, messed up and had double bogey to finish at 72, as only 12 players were under-par.
Diksha was even better at 3-under through 16 holes and tied second at that stage.
She finished bogey-bogey and was 1-under for the day but still inside the top-10 in tied seventh place.
On a windy day when the scoring was tough, local star Celine Boutier got off to a flyer at 7-under 65 with eight birdies and one bogey. She was three clear of her nearest rival, Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa.
Four players were tied third at 2-under each.
Reigning champion Nelly Korda battled back from a poor opening stretch of holes to finish on even par, seven strokes behind Boutier.
Diksha said, “I started very good. I stayed in the fairway. I found a lot of fairways today. The greens were very good, and when I had a birdie putt chance I made some putts.
“I was going very well on the 16th hole; unfortunately, on the last hole I dropped two shots. But I'm okay with 17.
“But on 18, it was another mistake. It was a par 5 and I was on the green in three. You are taking the birdie putt and I went aggressive.”
Diksha admitted she missed her father, who is her regular caddie.
