Diksha Dagar tops stroke-play, enters last eight in Deaflympics

India’s Diksha Dagar outclassed the field with rounds of 67-72 to top the 36-hole stroke play segment of the women’s golf competition at the Deaflympics in Brazil.

The Indian, who won a silver medal at the 2017 Deaflympic, and competed at the Tokyo Olympics last year, was 14 shots clear of the second-placed American Ashlyn Grace Johnson, who carded 76-77 in her two rounds.

Diksha’s 67 and 72 were the two best rounds of the two days and the next best was 76 by Ashlyn Grace Johnson and Margaux Berjo of France (76-78).

The top eight players from stroke play will now feature in the match play segment as Diksha takes on Alemie Paloma Gonzalez Podbicanin of Germany.

Diksha should have an easy passage into the semis as the German had qualified as the eighth best with rounds of 100 and 96.

The losing semi-finalists will play for the bronze medal.

In the men’s section, India’s Yogesh Dagar was Tied-18th and failed to get into the Top-16, who made the match-play section of the tournament.

India have so far won four gold and two bronze medals. Ukraine tops the table with 31 gold, 15 silver and 18 b