India medal hope Aditi Ashok has a troublesome option to make earlier than teeing up in a star-studded girls’s golf subject on the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Thursday — will it’s mum or dad on her bag?
The 25-year-old completed agonisingly out of the medals in fourth on the Tokyo Olympics with effervescent mom Maheshwari, identified to everybody as “Mash”, as caddie.
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“Tokyo 2020 was a great experience and having my mum caddie for me was a fun experience,” Ashok informed AFP earlier than leaving for China.
Mash and pop Gudlamani have taken turns as bag-carrier for the reason that golfer was seven and have been there in 2016 when, as a teen, she first grabbed headlines by successful the Women’s Indian Open.
At 16 she was the youngest participant on the Rio Olympics the identical 12 months, together with her dad doing the caddie duties.
Her Tokyo exploits, the place she was in silver-medal place for the primary three rounds earlier than being edged off the rostrum by former world primary Lydia Ko, put girls’s golf firmly on India’s sporting map.
But level-headed Ashok, who performs on the US LPGA and Ladies European Tours, didn’t dwell on her Tokyo disappointment.
“My mindset has always been to focus on the process more than the outcome,” she stated.
“I always give my best and move on to the next event. And I keep doing the same week after week.”
Ashok has gone on to crack the world’s high 50 for the primary time this 12 months after incomes a fourth European Tour win in Kenya in February.
“This season so far has been the high point,” Ashok stated.
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“Not because of any one week in particular, but mainly because of the way I’ve played on both the tours and managed my game as well as breaking into the top 50.”
Mum and pop have completely different kinds on the course, Ashok stated.
“My dad and I tend to have more discussions about (how to play) a shot as he knows my game well enough to help,” Ashok stated.
“My mum doesn’t help as much with the decision-making (on the course) but I feel that helps too as I am more decisive and calmer while playing with her on my bag.”
Grabbing consideration
Ashok first picked up a membership at age 5 in Bengaluru, the southern Indian tech hub the place she grew up, and commenced studying to play similtaneously her mother and father.
Golf has been a defining side of the household’s relationship however she says she has needed to work to “keep things separate” off the course.
FILE PHOTO: Aditi Ashok of India performs her tee shot on the first gap on Day Three of the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club on August 12, 2023 in Tadworth, England.
| Photo Credit:
Andrew Redington/ Getty Images
FILE PHOTO: Aditi Ashok of India performs her tee shot on the first gap on Day Three of the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club on August 12, 2023 in Tadworth, England.
| Photo Credit:
Andrew Redington/ Getty Images
She was tight-lipped as to who would get the bag-carrying honour when Ashok leads a three-member girls’s golf workforce on the West Lake International Golf Course in Hangzhou this week.
“I’m excited to play the Asian Games in China and going about my practice and preparation to do my best,” she stated.
“I don’t want to go with any expectations because it doesn’t usually help.”
Women’s golf was nearly unknown in India earlier than Ashok’s Olympic achievements, which all started when the then-teenager was in eighth place after two rounds on the 2016 Rio Games earlier than fading to complete forty first.
“I’m happy that golf gets the attention it needs from the media in our country, where cricket is the most dominating sport,” she stated.
“Hopefully this can grow even more now that we have more men and women playing the sport professionally.”