Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar Stay in Title Hunt at Hulencourt Women’s Open After Strong Third Round

India's hopes of a strong finish at the Hulencourt Women's Open remain alive after Olympians Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar climbed into a share of third place following the third round in Belgium. Both players enter Sunday's final round within striking distance of the lead in the Ladies European Tour event, giving India a realistic opportunity to challenge for the title.

After three rounds, Diksha and Aditi sit at five-under-par 211, five shots behind Australia's Kelsey Bennett, who moved into sole possession of the lead at 10-under after carding a composed three-under 69. Spain's Carolina Chacarra occupies second place at eight-under following a challenging third-round 74.

While Bennett has established herself as the player to beat heading into the final day, the leaderboard remains competitive enough for a low final round to significantly alter the standings.

Diksha Dagar once again showcased the consistency that has become a hallmark of her game. The two-time Ladies European Tour winner carded a one-under 71, maintaining her position among the leading contenders despite increasingly difficult playing conditions at Hulencourt Golf Club. She began her round positively with birdies on the second and ninth holes, displaying confidence on the greens while avoiding unnecessary mistakes. Her only blemish came at the par-four 10th, where she dropped a solitary shot.

Rather than allowing the bogey to derail her momentum, Diksha responded with disciplined golf over the closing stretch. She played the final eight holes in level par, producing eight consecutive pars to protect her position near the top of the leaderboard.

The steady finish highlighted her patience and course management, qualities that will be equally important during the decisive final round.

Aditi Ashok endured a far more eventful round but displayed tremendous resilience to remain firmly in the title race. The five-time Ladies European Tour winner looked to be slipping down the leaderboard after recording three bogeys during the day. At one stage, her hopes of challenging for another LET title appeared to be fading.

However, the experienced Indian responded in impressive fashion over the closing holes. Aditi birdied three of her final four holes to produce a two-under 70, one of the better rounds among the leading contenders in challenging afternoon conditions. The late surge lifted her back into a tie with Diksha at five-under, ensuring both Indians will begin the final round from identical positions.

The recovery also underlined Aditi's ability to respond under pressure, a quality she has demonstrated repeatedly throughout her professional career. A victory this week would mark another milestone for the Indian golfer, whose breakthrough Ladies European Tour title came at the Hero Women's Indian Open exactly ten years ago.

Australia's Kelsey Bennett enters the final round with a two-shot advantage after producing another composed display. Starting the day two shots behind overnight leader Carolina Chacarra, Bennett made an early move before capitalizing on a crucial turning point at the ninth hole. While Bennett birdied the par-five, Chacarra suffered a costly double bogey, allowing the Australian to seize control of the tournament. Both players exchanged birdies on the 10th before Bennett briefly gave a shot back with a bogey at the next hole.

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As the wind strengthened throughout the afternoon, scoring became increasingly difficult for the field. Bennett handled the conditions impressively, adding an important birdie on the 15th before negotiating the closing holes without further damage. Her round of 69 moved her to 10-under-par, placing her in a strong position to chase her second Ladies European Tour title after winning the Australian Women's Classic earlier this season.

Chacarra, who had produced a course-record 65 during the second round, was unable to replicate that form and slipped to second after a two-over 74.

Pranavi Urs experienced a frustrating third round, carding a one-over 73 to fall into a tie for 42nd place. Her scorecard featured three birdies, but four bogeys prevented her from making progress up the leaderboard. Youngster Avani Prashanth found the challenging weather conditions particularly difficult. Although she produced some excellent moments, including an eagle and a birdie on the outward nine, consistency proved elusive.

After reaching the turn with a mixed scorecard, her round unravelled on the back nine. Four consecutive bogeys from the 11th hole, another dropped shot on the 16th, and a closing double bogey resulted in a seven-over 79, leaving her tied for 51st.

With just one round remaining, India has two experienced players well positioned to challenge for the title. Both Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar have extensive experience competing under pressure on the Ladies European Tour and have previously demonstrated the ability to produce low final rounds when required.

Although Kelsey Bennett holds a five-shot advantage, the Hulencourt Golf Club has already shown throughout the week that momentum can shift quickly, particularly if weather conditions become challenging.

For Indian golf, Sunday's final round presents another opportunity to secure a significant result on the Ladies European Tour. With Aditi's experience, Diksha's consistency and both players entering the day full of confidence, India remains firmly in contention as the Hulencourt Women's Open heads towards an exciting conclusion.