Lying third and one off the lead, Aditi eyes historic win on LPGA

Aditi Ashok, taking advantage of the warmer weather, moved up to tied third and within one shot of the lead at the 2023 Cognizant Founders Cup as she bids to become the first Indian to win on the LPGA Tour

Aditi Ashok, taking advantage of the warmer weather, moved up to tied third and within one shot of the lead at the 2023 Cognizant Founders Cup as she bids to become the first Indian to win on the LPGA Tour.

Following up on her first round 3-under 68, Aditi, playing her seventh year on the Tour, added 4-under 67 to get to 7-under 137 and one shot behind co-leaders, Australian Sara Kemp (65) and Korea’s Jin Young Ko (68).

Aditi is the winner of one Ladies European Tour event this season and runner-up at the JM Eagle LA Championship, where she lost in a play-off.

Among those missing the cut are Rolex Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda, two-time 2023 LPGA Tour winner Lilia Vu and 2023 JM Eagle LA Championship winner Hannah Green.

Aditi, who had six birdies against two bogeys, said, "I think it was obviously windier playing the afternoon round, so that was a factor to deal with. I think the greens got really firm and obviously not soft, but hard and firm, so the putts felt quicker and it was harder to get the ball close to the hole, even with short irons sometimes.

"Yeah, I think I putted a bit better than yesterday. Yesterday I felt like I hit the ball as good as today, but just didn't hole some putts. Today, maybe, I holed a couple more, which always helps." On the weather, she added, "Yeah, definitely from last year, I remember it being cold and the ball wasn't travelling as far. Yeah, definitely feels a bit different with the firm fairways, firm greens, playing much shorter than last year. Yeah, warm weather is always good." As Kemp and Ko lead, Aditi is tied third with the defending Founders champion Minjee Lee and 2023 rookie Hae Ran Ryu. Aditi will play the third round with Minjee Lee.

Aditi, starting the day at 3-under, opened birdie-birdie to go to 5-under. A bogey on the fifth was followed by birdies on eight and then back-to-back birdies on 11th-12th. A bogey on 17th saw her fall back a bit, but she closed with a solid birdie on the 18th.