Indian golfer Aditi Ashok narrowly misses bronze at Olympics, finishes fourth

Indian golfer Aditi Ashok, the youngest golfer to play the sport at the Olympics, narrowly missed the Bronze medal in the Olympic Games’ golf competition, finishing at the fourth position. She had finished round three at the Silver medal position on Friday, August 6. Aditi Ashok was in the tied third spot when a storm disrupted the fourth and final round of the competition, where the youngster was in pursuit of the country's first medal in the sport. The 23-year-old Bengalurean was 3-under after 16 holes and shared the third position with New Zealand's Lydia Ko (5-under in 16 holes). The two were 15-under overall.

Aditi, who started the day at 2nd, had fired five birdies against two bogeys so far and remains in contention for a podium finish. Overnight leader and world number one Nelly Korda continued to hold on to her position but her lead had dropped to just one stroke when the storm warning forced the players to leave the course.Korda was two-under in the final round at the time of suspension and was 17-under overall at the par-71 Kasumigaseki Country Club. Japan's Mone Inami stormed to the sole second spot after being six-under through 16 holes which left her 16-under overall.

The golfer revealed that she had COVID-19 when she went back home for a while in May-June. "Actually I went back for a couple reasons. One was to get a couple of visas done and my passport was stuck in the consulate. So that's why I missed Lake Merced (LPGA Mediheal Championship). I wanted to come back out for Pure Silk and I tested positive, so I was stuck for a couple weeks. And then I tested negative and it was all good. I do think it took a little bit of strength out of me. I was never this short. I was always short, but not like 50 (yards) behind Nelly," the 23-year-old said after the day's play.

Following the return of golf into the Olympic programme in 2016, no Indian golfer has won a medal.