Indian golfer Aditi Ashok has put herself in a commanding position to win a historic individual gold medal at the Asian Games. In a sensational third round, Aditi scored an impressive 11-under 61, placing her seven shots ahead of her closest rival. Her outstanding performance not only puts her in contention for the gold medal but also helped the Indian women’s team secure the top position. They currently hold a one-shot lead over Thailand. Meanwhile, the Indian men’s team faced difficulties, with Anirban Lahiri shooting 2-over 74.

Aditi’s round was five shots better than anyone else on the day, reaffirming her dominance on the golf course. The Indian women’s team, comprising Aditi, Pranavi Urs, and Avani Prashanth, now leads the team competition with a total score of 29-under. They are ahead of strong teams like Thailand, China, Korea, and Japan.

For Aditi, this performance is particularly significant as Indian women have never won a medal at the Asian Games. In the previous edition in 2014, Aditi finished a distant 21st. However, she seems determined to change that narrative this time around.

Aditi’s sublime third round display included a birdie on the second hole and further birdies on the fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth holes. She then delivered her second eagle of the week on the short ninth hole, turning in an impressive 7-under 29 for the front nine. On the back nine, she continued her dominant form with birdies on the 12th, 15th, 17th, and 18th holes to finish with a remarkable 11-under for the round.

While Aditi’s performance has been outstanding, the Indian men’s team has struggled to make an impact in the competition. Anirban Lahiri, who required medical assistance due to extreme heat in the second round, shot a disappointing 2-over 74. Lahiri is currently tied-17th with a score of 10-under. SSP Chawrasia and Khalin Joshi are also not faring much better, tied at 20th and 24th place respectively.

Unfortunately, the Indian men’s team is also out of the reckoning for a medal, as they currently sit eighth in the team competition, a whopping 26 shots behind the leaders, Korea. Thailand and Hong Kong share the second spot.

As the Asian Games golf competition enters its final round, all eyes will be on Aditi Ashok as she aims to secure her place in history as the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at this prestigious event.