Teen star Aditi all set to tee-off at NZ Open golf

Young Indian golfer Aditi Ashok will feel at home when she tees off at the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open in what will be here debut event as a professional on the Ladies European Tour.
Aditi, who had a creditable T-31 finish on her pro debut last week in Australia, will be watched closely following her convincing win at the LET Q-School in December.
The 17-year-old Indian, who won the LET's Lalla Aicha Tour School Final Qualifier in December, is one of 13 LET Rookies in the field.
"This is so much like home," said Aditi. "Back home Bangalore is called the Garden City and Christchurch is called Garden City of New Zealand."

On the competition, she says, "I am quite excited about the debut and the fact the event will include the top stars, including the World No. 1 Lydia Ko and legends like Laura Davies."
The Indian challenge at the NZ Open will include Vani Kapoor and Amandeep Drall, who are here on sponsors' invitation.

While Aditi was Tied-31st, Vani made the 36-hole cut but missed the 54-hole cut. Drall failed to make the 36-hole cut.
The start of the 2016 Ladies European Tour season at the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Women's Open is only three days away. The field has 144 players from 32 different countries, who will tee up for the season-opener at Clearwater Golf Club.

World No. 1 and defending champion Lydia Ko will be the star attraction and she comes off a great start with tie for third in the Coates Golf Championship in Florida last week.
Last year, Ko broke the course record with an electrifying 11-under 61 and collected the title for the second time with a four-stroke victory in front of her home galleries so she is the hot favourite.
Also last week the 19-year-old from Bournemouth, Georgia Hall of England showed she could be the next hot golfer. She won the Oates Victorian Open on the ALPG Tour, which was her second professional victory following success on the LET Access Series.

Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord tied for second in Victoria, finishing just a stroke behind Hall and they are also showing rich form.
Former champions Dame Laura Davies from England, who won at Pegasus Golf Club in 2010 and Gwladys Nocera from France, who won the title in 2009 before it joined the LET schedule, are both in the field as are 2015 LET tournament winners Celine Herbin, Nicole Broch Larsen, Hannah Burke and Beth Allen and European Solheim Cup team member Caroline Hedwall.