Aditi Ashok is once again in contention as she tries to find the breakthrough on the LPGA Tour, as she was tied second after three rounds at the Mizuho Americas Open.
The 25-year-old Aditi, who has finished T-2 and T-5 in her last two events on the LPGA, carded 4-under 68 with five birdies and one bogey and is now 9-under for 54 holes. Her earlier rounds were 67-72.
Aditi Ashok is two shots behind Rose Zhang, who is close to a win in her first start as a professional. The 20-year-old Zhang, playing on an invitation, carded 66 and moved to 11-under at the Liberty National Golf Club. Zhang had four birdies on the front nine and two more birdies on the 14th and 15th.
Aditi was tied second losing in play-off at the JM Eagle LA Championship and was tied fifth at the Cognizant Founders Cup. She did taste success at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open on Ladies European Tour.
Aditi had five birdies in then first 10 holes and that included a hole out from the bunker for a birdie on Par-3 fourth hole. She bogeyed the Par-4 15th and ended 4-under for the day.
At 9-under, Aditi is tied with Thailand’s incredible Atthaya Thitikul (68-71-68) and American Cheyenne Knight (69-68-70). The leader Rose Zhang shot 66 after 70-69 on the first two days and is at 11-under.
Aditi, said, “I always believed I could do it, because I knew I had the short game and the putting, but I just didn’t hit it far enough. My first year I used to hit it a bit further than I did last year, but still in the last five, six seasons I felt to be a better player, I needed some length, so I worked on that in the offseason.”
“I feel like that 20, 30 yards extra has just been helping me look at the flag on some holes as opposed to playing to the middle of the green. The closer I get, it helps that my putting is good, too, and creates more birdies.”
