Aditi Ashok fell agonisingly short of earning full status on the LPGA Tour, but India's star golfer still managed to do enough to become a member on the LPGA Tour for the new season. Aditi needed to finish in the top 20 to become a full member, with the Indian coming in tied 24.
The teenager carded a 73 in the final round to finish the LPGA qualifying tournament in Daytona Beach on two-under, a couple of shots behind what would have been a truly remarkable achievement.
Not that what Aditi has managed isn't fantastic. Considering the Bengalurean is still only 18, the only way seems to be up, and the more she plays with the best players in the world, the better she is bound to get, because the talent is undoubted.
"It was a long week with a lot of ups and downs throughout the week," Aditi, who is coming off wins in the Indian Open and Qatar, said. "I think I could have done better, I finished just 2-under, but it is not bad.
"The last couple weeks have been amazing starting with my win back home in India. I won last week in Qatar and moved up the Order of Merit and hopefully I can do well in Dubai next week and then it will be a good year."
Participating in the majors next season will help Aditi to test herself with the elite of women's golf and knowing the youngster, she will back herself to trump the best in the world.
"Obviously, I want to play in as many majors as I can, hopefully all of them," Aditi added. "I want to play in as many LPGA events as possible because I've done well on the LET and I think I have potential to do well on the LPGA as well."
American Jaye Marie Green, who finished on 13-under, one shot ahead of Olafia Kristinsdottir of Iceland, won the LPGA Qualifying tournament.
"I knew I had to play well to get my card and now I know that I can make a putt to win so there are a lot of positives to take away," Green said. "Now I know I can play well under the gun. Going into next year, I have this experience to draw on."
