Steady Aditi lies second, is one round away from European card

Indian teenage golfer Aditi Ashok stayed on course to qualify for the Ladies European Tour 2016 after firing a superb four-under 68 in the fourth round here.
At 21-under for 72 holes, Aditi stayed one behind overnight leader, Germany's Karolin Lampert (68) with one more round to go in the grueling five-round Lalla Aicha Tour School Final Qualifying here.
The 17-year-old from Bangalore, who is still an amateur, had five birdies against one bogey in the fourth round played at the Amelkis course. The final round will be at Samanah, where Aditi shot 10-under 62 in third round.
Meanwhile, the other Indian in the Final qualifier, Neha Tripathi, collapsed in the fourth round with a 12-over 84. She was two-over after three rounds and then failed to make the cut.

Lampert fired a four-under 68 on the Amelkis Course to keep her lead over Aditi heading into the last round of event as 67 players made the 72-hole cut at two-over par.
Denmark's Daisy Nielsen, who was playing in the same group, shot a 69 to lie in third on 14-under par.

Aditi held her composure showing maturity well beyond her 17 years to keep up with the leader. She made the turn in two under with birdies on the third and seventh and took a bogey on 10 before adding three more birdies on holes 11, 12 and 18.

The high school student from Bangalore said: "It was pretty good and consistent. I saved a few good pars and especially on the front nine. The only dropped shot was on 10, where I didn't hit a good tee shot so I could have kept myself more in play on that hole. I kept myself more in play on that hole, so that was good.
"I missed quite a few birdies towards the end, on 16, 17 and 18. On 18 I missed an eagle, so three short putts and I could have probably made one or two of those and had a better score but four under, I'm happy with that."

Talking of her sole bogey, Aditi said, "My drive ended up in right fairway bunker and then from there I hit in the bunker short of the green. From there I hit in the bunker over the green, so I was in three bunkers. From that bunker I made up and down. I gave myself a lot of chances and that's what I need to keep doing."
On plans for the final round, she said, "I'll definitely try and win. I'll try and give myself a chance. I'll try to keep myself in position and keep giving myself birdie opportunities and play consistent. I'll play my own game: one shot at a time and see what happens."

Having taken to golf at a very early age and encouraged by her parents, father Ashok, who caddies for her, and mother, who often accompanies her, Aditi has played for India from the time she was 10.
In September 2011, she became the youngest amateur at 13 years and five months to win a pro event at the Hero Women's Pro Tour event in her home town, Bangalore. She has represented India from the age of 12. At 12 she was the youngest to play for India at the Queen Sirikit Cup as India finished fourth.
She also played at the Asian Games in 2014 and now aims of playing the Rio Olympics next year.

In 2015, Aditi won numerous titles, among which were St. Rule Trophy and Ladies British Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship.
She also played in several Ladies European Tour events as an amateur, notably finishing as the low amateur three times in the Hero Women's Indian Open in 2012, 2014 and 2015 at T8th, T14th and T13th respectively. She was also the first Indian to play in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters where she finished 38th.
In the final stage, at Samanah Golf Club in Marrakech today as 67 competitors from 29 different countries vie for Ladies European Tour Membership in 2016.

The qualifiers started with 241 players competing over five weeks of the Lalla Aicha Tour School, including a record four Pre-Qualifiers, the top 30 players and those tied at the end of today's fifth and final round of Final Qualifying earned the Tour card.