Magenta Shores, Australia - March 9 (NationPress) - In a display of remarkable tenacity, Diksha Dagar navigated through harsh weather conditions to achieve her inaugural Top-5 finish of the 2026 season at the Australian Women’s Classic. Meanwhile, her fellow Indian golfer, Pranavi Urs, concluded the tournament in 14th place after encountering difficulties in the final round.

Facing strong winds and sporadic rain on the Central Coast, Dagar managed a commendable score of 1-under 71, marking one of the day's standout performances. On a day where scoring was particularly tough, she was among just three players to finish under par, showcasing the caliber of her game.

Diksha’s consistent play allowed her to secure a tie for fifth place, making her the highest-ranked Indian golfer in the tournament.

Starting the day strong, she recorded birdies on the fourth and fifth holes, positioning herself well in the competition. However, the challenging weather soon affected her performance, leading to dropped shots on the seventh and ninth holes. Despite a bogey on the 13th hole that could have derailed her progress, Dagar demonstrated resilience by bouncing back with birdies on the 15th and 17th holes, capping her round with a solid 71 and ensuring her place in the Top-5.

Conversely, Pranavi Urs faced a tough day on the course. After entering the final round with a strong position and hopes for a Top-5 finish, she struggled to maintain her momentum and ended with a score of 6-over 78.

Urs bogeyed three times on the front nine and added three more bogeys by the 14th hole. Her lone birdie of the day came on the 15th, which briefly brought her to tied 10th, but a final dropped shot on the 18th hole left her in 14th place.

The other Indian competitors, Avani Prashanth and Hitaashee Bakshi, unfortunately missed the halfway cut earlier in the tournament.

Claiming the championship was Australia’s Kelsey Bennett, who earned the most significant victory of her career with a four-shot lead, marking her first title on the Ladies European Tour. Starting the final day with a narrow one-shot advantage at Magenta Shores Golf and Country Club, the 26-year-old adeptly managed the harsh conditions to finish with a score of 1-under 71 and an overall total of 13-under par.

Bennett also secured a prized spot in the AIG Women’s Open with her victory.

Playing alongside the 2022 champion Meghan MacLaren and rookie Caley McGinty, Bennett faced early pressure as McGinty birdied the first and third holes. However, Bennett responded effectively, achieving birdies on the third and fifth holes, the latter of which came after a near-eagle attempt from the rough.

Completing her round with five birdies and four bogeys, Bennett outperformed MacLaren and McGinty, who both finished with rounds of 74, thus sharing second place at nine-under par.

Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab finished in fourth place at seven-under, with Diksha just one stroke back in fifth after her impressive resilience against the challenging elements.