Indian golfers Ridhima Dilawari and Hitaashee Bakshi defied wet conditions to make the cut at the prestigious VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open, held at the Par-71 Golfpark Holzhäusern. Both players carded impressive scores of 71-69, finishing at 2-under 140 and securing a tied-23rd position after 36 holes. Their performance stood out as the only two Indians to advance, showcasing resilience and skill in a highly competitive field.

Ridhima, competing on a special invite and with limited starts on the Ladies European Tour (LET) this season, delivered a dynamic second round. She notched five birdies against three bogeys, with a particularly strong stretch between the sixth and 12th holes, where she recorded four birdies, two bogeys, and just one par. Hitaashee, equally determined, posted a 2-under 69 with four birdies and a single bogey, maintaining consistency on the challenging course.

Unfortunately, other Indian contenders fell short. Vani Kapoor (74-70), Sneha Singh (70-75), Tvesa Malik (72-74), who was last year’s runner-up, and Pranavi Urs (74-76) missed the cut, set at one-over par, and exited early. Despite their efforts, the demanding conditions and strong international competition proved too steep.

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England’s Alice Hewson, the defending champion, seized a commanding two-shot lead at nine-under par with a second-round score of 67. After a rocky start with bogeys on the 12th and 13th, Hewson found her groove, rolling in six birdies. She credited her sports psychologist, Dan, for helping her stay focused, saying, “Staying in the moment has been a big positive this week.” Ireland’s Lauren Walsh and Australia’s Sarah Kemp trailed closely at seven-under, tied for second, with Walsh’s bogey-free round highlighted by back-to-back birdies on the ninth and 10th.

The leaderboard remains tightly packed, with Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz, Wales’ Lydia Hall, and Germany’s Celina Sattelkau tied for fourth at six-under, followed by five players at five-under, including Norway’s Dorthea Forbrigd and France’s Agathe Sauzon. Swiss players Kim Metraux, Chiara Tamburlini, and amateur Axelle Martin, alongside Canada’s Anna Huang and Germany’s Alexandra Forsterling, were among those at four-under.

With 67 players advancing past the cut, the stage is set for an intense final round. For Ridhima and Hitaashee, their performance signals India’s growing presence on the global golf stage, and all eyes will be on them as they aim to climb the leaderboard in this fiercely competitive tournament.

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