By V Krishnaswamy
Avani Prashanth, touted as the next big star in Indian women’s golf, will take one more step towards a career in professional golf as she tees up at the Ladies European Tour’s Pre-Qualifier Asia starting tomorrow on the Jack Nicklaus signature course at Classic Golf and Country Resort.
Avani, currently ranked 62nd in the World Golf Amateur Rankings, is one of the many Indian and international hopefuls who will play the 54-hole three-day Pre-Qualifier, being held in India for the second straight year.
The field consists of 29 players of which the top eight and ties will progress to the all-important Final Qualifier Marrakech, taking place in Morocco next month.
Avani, who as an amateur has already tasted success on the LET’s Access Series, winning the Ahlsell Final at Elisefarm in Sweden, is having a great season. She topped the individual segment at one of Asia’s biggest amateur events, the Queen Sirikit Cup and recently finished fourth in the individual section of the World Amateur Team Championship in Abu Dhabi.
Avani is also no stranger to the LET, having finished in the top 10 at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open and has been in the top 10 at the Hero Women’s Indian Open in 2022 and 2023. This time she was fifth.
The 16-year-old, who finished ahead of a host of pros while winning a professional event on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, has also made cuts at the Amundi German Masters and the Singapore Ladies Masters.
She said, “I have been looking forward to this and am playing well. The course is in great shape; the ball is rolling out great! The par 5s are gettable and it can definitely be a low scoring week.”
“I have played a bit on the LET and am keen to get there as a pro and do well,” said Avani, who interestingly has also been given an invite as an amateur into next week’s LET event, the 400,000 Euros Mallorca Ladies Open, which is the penultimate event on the Tour this season. Avani will play as an amateur.
A group of Indian players, like Tvesa Malik, who lost her card last season, Seher Atwal, who got limited starts in 2023, Pranavi Urs, who played a few events on the Epson Tour in the US and the LET, Ridhima Dilawari, who got a few starts on LET, and Neha Tripathi, who has enough experience of LET are all in the field and aiming to get into the Top-8 and book a ticket to Marrakech for the Final stage.
Tvesa Malik, said, “The course is playing great. The greens are good but the rough around the greens can be tricky. It is thick in places. I can’t wait to tee off and work towards getting back on to the Tour.”
Pranavi Urs, who had a shot at the LPGA Q-School, added, “Yes, the course is playing good, a little long but balls rolling pretty good on the greens. Any time you get a chance to get on the bigger Tours, there is always a lot of excitement.”
One of the interesting entries is amateur Natalii Gupta, an Indian based out of Dubai.
Others include Malaysia’s Genevieve Ling, Singapore’s Sock Hwee Koh and Dutch golfer, Lauren Holmey, all of whom have played at the Women’s Indian Open in India.
While this is the first Pre-Qualifier, a second one is scheduled to be held at the Palmeraie Rotana Resort, Samanah Golf by Nicklaus and Noria Golf Club from December 10-12.
The gruelling five-round 90-hole Final Qualifying will be held at the Al Maadan Golf Marrakech & Royal Golf Marrakech from December 16-20.
