GOLF
Solid start for Aditi Ashok in Utah
Indian golfer Aditi Ashok overcame an early bogey to make a strong start that placed her tied 29th on the opening day of the Black Desert Championship, presented by Greater Zion, in Ivins, Utah.
Aditi shot three-under 69 on Thursday. Having begun her round on the back nine, Aditi dropped a shot on the 11th hole before picking up birdies on the 13th and 14.
She closed the first nine with an even-par 36 after dropping a shot on the 16th.
On the second nine, Aditi made birdies on the fourth, and seventh to conclude the day with a total of three-under par.
This year, Aditi has made cuts at three of the four events she has played and stands 102nd in the season’s rankings.
After the first round, Haeran Ryu of Korea led the field with a score of nine-under par for the day. Haeran played a bogey-free round that was dotted with nine birdies.
Starting from the back nine, Haeran made five birdies and added four more on the front-nine.
Haeran has so far made the cut in five of the six events she has played this season and stands 25th in the rankings.
In the Chevron Championship last week in Texas, she posted her best finish of the season so far, ending tied sixth.
– PTI
Rough start for Rayhan Thomas at Tulum Golf Championship
It was another rough start for India’s Rayhan Thomas, who carded a five-over 77 and was in danger of missing the cut at the Tulum Championship at the PGA Riviera Maya.
He was lying tied 124th after the opening round on Thursday.
In nine starts prior to this week, Thomas has made four cuts with a best of tied seventh in Bahamas Great Abaco Classic.
Mitchell Meissner opened with a six-under 66 to lead the field by one. He had seven birdies and one bogey. He has three top-10 finishes in nine starts this season, including a tied seventh at last week’s Veritex Bank Championship.
Zach Bauchou is second at five-under, while rookie Kensei Hirata, a six-time winner on Japan Tour, carded a four-under to be third.
Runchanapong Youprayong (three-under), a winner on the All Thailand Golf Tour, recorded a three -under 69 and was tied fourth in a group of nine players.
– PTI
MOTORSPORT
Chikmagalur Gravel fest set to see record entries
The motorsport community is gearing up for the Chikmagalur Gravel Fest 2025, set to rev into action on May 3 and 4, at Survey 85, Sangnipura Road, Kurvangi Grama. The weekend event will serve as one of the key qualifying rounds for the Octane Pits FMSCI Indian National Autocross Championship (INAC) 2025, drawing top drivers from across India.
The 2025 season will witness a record number of over 100 entrants competing across eight featured classes, including a Women’s Class in INAC2/INAC3 Open, following the FIA Formula One point system (25–18–15 for top three finishes) on the 2.2 kilometres all gravel track. The women’s entry for the race will be free.
With over Rs. 7 lakh in total prize money, the highest ever for any INAC qualifier, Chikmagalur Gravel Fest 2025 ups the ante with rewards not only for drivers but also for their invaluable pit crew.
The Gravel Fest in Chikmagalur is one of seven qualifying rounds that form the INAC Cup circuit. To qualify for the Grand Finals, each driver must participate in at least two rounds. Only the top five finishers in each class will secure a berth in the final championship face-off, where the best of Indian autocross will be crowned.
– Team Sportstar
TENNIS
Indian team announced for ITF Masters World Championship
Surinder Mohan Sharma will lead the Indian over-70 team in the ITF Masters tennis World Championship to be staged in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA, from May 11 to 16.
The team:
Over-60: Chandra Bhushan (captain), Nagaraj Revanasiddaiah, Pawan Jain, Arun Aggarwal.
Over-65: Rakesh Kohli (captain), Ajeet Bhardwaj, Onkar Dikshit, Lalit Sharma.
Over-70: Surinder Mohan Sharma (captain), Dileep Shivpuri, Surinderjit Singh Randhawa, Arvind Bhasin.
– Kamesh Srinivasan
Dalwinder triumphs in AITA tournament
Former national champion Dalwinder Singh won a double crown in the Rs. 100,000 AITA men’s tennis tournament at the Harvest Academy in Jassowal on Friday.
Dalwinder beat Suraj Prabodh 6-3, 6-2 in the singles final, and partnered Suraj for the doubles title, beating the top seeds Udit Kamboj and Ayush Sharma in straight sets.
The results (finals):
Singles: Dalwinder Singh bt Suraj Prabodh 6-3, 6-2.
Doubles: Dalwinder Singh & Suraj Prabodh bt Udit Kamboj & Ayush Sharma 6-4, 6-4.
– Kamesh Srinivasan