Aline Krauter remains the player to beat with one round remaining at the Hero Women’s Indian Open after a second consecutive round of 68 (-4) extended the rookie’s advantage to two shots on 11-under par.
Leading local star Vani Kapoor by one shot before the start of play, Krauter got off to a hot start at DLF Golf & Country Club birdying her opening hole at the par-4 1st.
The German soon added two more birdies to her card at each of the par-5s on the front nine – the 4th and 8th – to go out in 33 and move to 10-under par.
After a string of pars, Krauter dropped her first shot in 36 holes at the tricky par-4 14th, but bounced back well with a birdie on the par-5 15th before adding another on the signature par-4 17th.
“I’m really happy with my round,” the 23-year-old said. “I think my ball striking was good again today, same as the last couple of days. Nothing has really changed, but it was still really steady which is good on this course.
“[The birdie on 15] was really important. It’s always important to bounce back. The bogey on 14 wasn’t terrible, it’s just a hard hole. I wasn’t really worried but then 15 was great.”
Attempting to win her first professional event this week, a victory would help secure Krauter’s Ladies European Tour (LET) status for 2024 and 2025 with the rookie having spent the majority of the year on the LPGA.
While Krauter can follow in compatriot Olivia Cowan’s footsteps with a victory to become the second consecutive German winner of the Hero Women’s Indian Open.
“It’s different being at the top,” Krauter said, winner of the 2020 Women’s Amateur Championship. “I haven’t really been in this position this year at all. I think it will be a challenge tomorrow for sure. But I’m very excited for tomorrow and I’m glad I came to India!”
Two shots behind Krauter after leading the chase on Saturday is Sweden’s Sara Kjellker. The rookie recovered exceptionally well after making a double-bogey on the 1st to card eight birdies including six in seven holes. She would eventually post a round of 68 (-4).
“It was an awful start,” Kjellker said. “I was two over after three holes and it could have been three over. I don’t know what happened. Maybe it was some nerves and some pressure got to me. But then I managed to calm down and had some good yardages in which I took advantage of. I had lots of birdies today which was needed for sure.”
With three top five finishes since the KPMG Women’s Irish Open in August, Kjellker has been in fine form on the LET and currently sits 25th in the Race to Costa del Sol.
“I’m excited going into tomorrow,” the 25-year-old said. “I’m just going to take it as a normal day. Anything can happen. She [Krauter] is playing well so I’m just going to have to hunt.”
In third on seven-under par is Kjellker’s close friend and day one leader Madelene Stavnar. Like the Swede – who she is rooming with this week in India – Stavnar carded a double-bogey on the 1st before recovering brilliantly to make seven birdies en route to a 69 (-3).
“Me and Sara [Kjellker] were laughing about how we both started with a double,” Stavnar said, who finished second at the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open last month. “It was probably the worst start you can have but then we both made a lot of birdies which was really nice. I stayed patient out there. Obviously it was a rough start so I tried to stay cool and stick to the plan.”
Home favourite Diksha Dagar is one back in fourth place after a rollercoaster round of 71 (-1). The Race to Costa del Sol number four had an up-and-down day making four bogeys and five birdies – two coming on the final two holes to keep her in contention.
England’s Hannah Burke and the aforementioned Kapoor – playing at her home course DLF Golf & Country Club – share a tie for fifth on four-under par.
Despite fighting back pain, England’s Gabriella Cowley carded the round of the day 67 (-5) to move into a tie for seventh on three-under par.
Joining her on the number heading into the final round are France’s Anne-Charlotte Mora and Indian amateur Avani Prashanth – the teenage star who made history in August when she became her nation’s first winner on the LET Access Series [LETAS].
The fourth and final round of the 2023 Hero Women’s Indian Open tees off at 9:10 local time on Sunday. Leaders Krauter, Kjellker and Stavnar get underway at 11:10. Follow all the action on @LETGolf on Instagram and X and Ladies European Tour on Facebook and YouTube – #RaiseOurGame #HWIO2023.
