PIF Saudi Ladies International: Avani Prashanth Leads Indian Challenge At Riyadh

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Three of the five Indian golfers at the USD 5 million PIF Saudi Ladies International golf event stay in contention after the cut at Riyadh Golf Club, with teenager Avani Prashanth leading the national challenge at 4-under, while two experienced players, Diksha Dagar and Hitaashee Bakshi, bowed out after narrowly missing the weekend rounds.

Avani stands Tied-35th after following an opening 3-under 69 with a gritty 1-under 71, while Aditi Ashok reaches 3-under overall and Tied-43rd with a second straight round in the sixties, and fellow Indian professional Pranavi Urs moves to 2-under and Tied-51st to secure valuable weekend play.

Indians shine at PIF Saudi Ladies International golf despite two missing the cut

The Indian scores reveal a tight battle around the cut line, as Avani leads at 4-under, Aditi sits one shot behind at 3-under, and Pranavi follows at 2-under, while Diksha finishes at 1-under and Hitaashee ends over par, leaving only three representatives to continue into the third round.

PIF Saudi Ladies International golf leaders and chasing pack

At the top of the PIF Saudi Ladies International golf leaderboard, England’s Mimi Rhodes moves to 11-under after backing up a sparkling opening 64 with a second-round 69, while South Africa’s Cassandra Alexander posts matching rounds of 67 to reach 10-under, where Japan’s Chizzy Iwai joins with scores of 65 and 69 to share second place.

Avani starts her second round on the tenth tee and slips to 2-over after six holes with bogeys on the 11th and 15th, but responds with a birdie on the 18th and two more gains on the fifth and seventh, turning a difficult stretch into a 71 that keeps the teenager within reach of a strong top-30 finish.

Aditi goes out in the first group from the opening tee and drops an early shot on the second, yet the five-time winner on the Ladies European Tour steadies quickly, collecting four birdies without another blemish for a composed 3-under 69 that lifts the experienced Indian into red figures overall at 3-under.

Pranavi delivers one of the most controlled rounds among the Indians, producing a bogey-free 69 after playing the back nine, her first nine, in level par, then finding three birdies on the home stretch to erase the damage from an opening 73, while Diksha signs for a 2-over 74 with two bogeys and no birdies to miss the cut by a single stroke, and Hitaashee posts rounds of 74 and 72 which also fall short of the required mark.

The midway stage of the PIF Saudi Ladies International golf tournament leaves three Indians, led by Avani, still competing as Rhodes heads the international field, and with Aditi and Pranavi also positioned under par, the weekend rounds at Riyadh Golf Club offer further chances for upward movement on a leaderboard currently dominated by Rhodes, Alexander and Iwai.