Thirteen-year-old amateur Ojaswini Saraswat carried her breakthrough Ladies European Tour form onto familiar ground, sharing the opening-round lead with Ananya Datar at the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour’s 14th leg in Jaipur.
Playing at her home course, Rambagh Golf Club, Ojaswini recovered from three bogeys with an eagle at the par-five 17th to post a one-over 71. Datar matched her through a more eventful card containing four birdies and five bogeys.
Ojaswini’s performance came three weeks after she became the youngest player to make the Hero Women’s Indian Open cut. At 13 years, six months and 14 days, she was also the second-youngest golfer to reach the weekend in Ladies European Tour history.
Her junior record already includes runner-up finishes at the 2024 US Kids World Championship in Pinehurst and US Kids European Championship in Scotland.
Datar, meanwhile, is pursuing her first outright professional victory. She previously collected the winner’s cheque after finishing second to amateur Pranavi Urs in Mumbai in 2020.
Nobody broke par on the opening day. Durga Nittur and Jaipur’s Khushi Khanijau shared third at three-over 73.
Season rankings leader Ridhima Dilawari headed a large group at four-over 74, while pre-tournament favourite Vani Kapoor opened with a birdie-free 75 to sit tied 12th.
Photo – WGAI
