In a display of grit and precision, Indian golfer Diksha Dagar has turned her NSW Open campaign around dramatically. Kicking off with a subpar 77, she unleashed scores of 66 and 65 over the subsequent rounds to vault into tied 26th at 5-under, firmly in contention for the final round.
The second round saw Dagar dominate with five birdies and zero bogeys, a flawless performance that secured her cut spot at 53rd. Round three was even more spectacular: six birdies, bogey-free, capped by four birdies in the last five holes. This hot streak has her primed for a potential top finish.
Other Indian hopefuls faced tougher luck, with Hitashi Bhakhshi, Pranavi Urs, and Avani Prashant all falling short of the cut line. At the top, Hannah Reeves commands the lead at 12-under after a masterful 66, overcoming an early stumble to rattle off birdies and nearly ace the last for eagle.
Tournament drama peaked amid Thursday’s torrential rains at Wollongong Golf Club. Ireland’s Aine Donegan entered round three with a two-shot advantage but surrendered five strokes after an opening birdie, paving the way for the field. Reeves, leveraging her experience from three regional qualifier wins, shone under clearing skies.
One shot back is Kelsey Bennett, while third place is a three-way tie featuring Thailand’s April Angurasarnee, who blazed a 62 highlighted by a hole-in-one. France’s Agathe Laisne and teen sensation Sumin Oh from South Korea join her there. With six players at 8-under in the top 10, the pressure is on as the 17th edition nears its climax.