Diksha Dagar Drops to T-16 at SA Women's Open; 3 Indians Survive Cut
Synopsis
Diksha Dagar's back-to-back bogeys on holes 8 and 9 cost her dearly at the SA Women's Open, dropping her from Top-10 to Tied-16th in Cape Town. Avani Prashanth survived the cut with a clutch birdie, while Slovenian Pia Babnik leads at 14-under — three clear of the field.
Key Takeaways
Diksha Dagar dropped to Tied-16th at the SA Women's Open after back-to-back bogeys on holes 8 and 9 in Round 2, carding a 1-under 72 at Royal Cape Golf Club, Cape Town .
Avani Prashanth narrowly made the cut with a crucial birdie on the 7th hole (her 16th of the day), carding a round of 71 .
Pranavi Urs carded a 73 to sit at Tied-43rd , while Vani Kapoor , Tvesa Malik , and Hitaashee Bakshi missed the cut.
Pia Babnik of Slovenia leads at 14-under par after a stunning 67 (-6) , three shots clear of England's Cara Gainer .
Cara Gainer , winner of the 2025 Lalla Meryem Cup , sits second at 11-under par after carding a 68 (-5) in Round 2.
Babnik is chasing her third LET title this week and is the overwhelming favourite heading into the final two rounds.
Diksha Dagar, India's decorated left-handed golfer, slipped to Tied-16th place after the second round of the SA Women's Open on the Ladies European Tour (LET) at Royal Cape Golf Club, Cape Town on Friday, April 25. The 23-year-old carded a 1-under 72 to stand at 6-under par for 36 holes, dropping five positions from her overnight Tied-11th standing. A late collapse on her back nine proved costly as India's top-ranked women's golfer failed to consolidate her strong opening round of 68.
Diksha Dagar's Round 2 Breakdown
Diksha began her round on the 10th hole with a bogey but quickly recovered with birdies on the 11th, 16th, and 18th holes, keeping herself firmly in contention. However, her second nine unravelled when she bogeyed the 3rd hole, recovered with a birdie on the 5th, but then surrendered two consecutive bogeys on the 8th and 9th holes. Those back-to-back dropped shots pushed her out of the Top-10 and down to Tied-16th, a frustrating finish to what had been a promising round.
The collapse is a familiar challenge for Indian women golfers on the LET — holding form across all 18 holes against a world-class field remains the critical differentiator. Diksha, a two-time Deaflympics gold medallist and a regular on the LET, will need a strong final round to finish inside the top-10 and maximise world ranking points.
Avani Prashanth and Pranavi Urs: Mixed Fortunes
Avani Prashanth delivered a composed round of 71 to narrowly make the cut, surviving thanks to a crucial birdie on the 7th hole — her 16th hole of the day — which squeezed her inside the cutline. She birdied the 11th and 14th and bogeyed the 18th in her first nine, before parring the rest except for that match-saving birdie on the 7th.
Pranavi Urs, on the other hand, struggled to find her rhythm, carding a 73 to sit at Tied-43rd. While she makes the weekend cut, a significant climb up the leaderboard will be needed over the final two rounds.
Three other Indian golfers — Vani Kapoor, Tvesa Malik, and Hitaashee Bakshi — were unable to make the cut and will not feature in the weekend rounds at Royal Cape Golf Club.
Pia Babnik Dominates, Leads by Three Shots
At the top of the leaderboard, Slovenian Pia Babnik put on a masterclass, firing a 67 (-6) in the second round to surge to 14-under par, a commanding three-shot lead over England's Cara Gainer. A two-time Olympian, Babnik recovered brilliantly after a three-putt bogey on the 1st hole, reeling off nine birdies in a stunning display of precision golf.
Her scorecard featured back-to-back-to-back birdies on the 6th, 7th, and 8th holes, and she repeated the feat with birdies on the 15th, 16th, and 17th. Babnik is chasing her third LET title this week, and her current form makes her the overwhelming favourite heading into the weekend.
Leaderboard Standings After Round 2
Cara Gainer, winner of the 2025 Lalla Meryem Cup, sits in solo second at 11-under par after a 68 (-5). Her compatriot Esme Hamilton is one shot back at 10-under following a colourful 70 (-3) that included six birdies and three bogeys, with a clutch birdie on the 18th late in the afternoon.
Anna Morgan of the USA and Emma Spitz of Austria share Tied-4th at 9-under par. Morgan, a rookie on the LET, followed her opening 67 (-6) with a solid 70 (-3). A further five players are tied for sixth place at 8-under par, keeping the chasing pack in touch.
India's LET Campaign: Bigger Picture
India's women golfers have been making steady strides on the Ladies European Tour in recent seasons, with players like Diksha Dagar, Aditi Ashok, and Pranavi Urs regularly competing on the international circuit. However, converting promising positions after the first round into top-10 finishes remains a persistent challenge, as evidenced by Diksha's slide in Cape Town. Stronger back-nine management and consistency under pressure will be key to India's ambitions at the highest level of women's golf.
With the third and fourth rounds scheduled over the weekend at Royal Cape Golf Club, all eyes will be on whether Diksha Dagar can mount a recovery charge, while Pia Babnik looks set to close out a dominant victory in South Africa.
Point of View
Yet a top-5 finish remains elusive far too often. The talent is undeniable; the mental fortitude and course management under pressure is where the gap lies. Until Indian women golfers crack that code consistently, they will remain competitive but rarely dominant on the Ladies European Tour.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Diksha Dagar's current position at the SA Women's Open 2025?
Diksha Dagar is placed at Tied-16th after the second round of the SA Women's Open at Royal Cape Golf Club, Cape Town. She carded a 1-under 72 in Round 2 to stand at 6-under par for 36 holes.
Did any Indian golfer make the cut at the SA Women's Open 2025?
Yes, three Indian golfers made the cut — Diksha Dagar, Pranavi Urs, and Avani Prashanth. Vani Kapoor, Tvesa Malik, and Hitaashee Bakshi missed the cut.
Who is leading the SA Women's Open after Round 2?
Slovenia's Pia Babnik leads the SA Women's Open at 14-under par after firing a 67 in Round 2. She holds a three-shot lead over England's Cara Gainer heading into the weekend.
How did Avani Prashanth make the cut at the SA Women's Open?
Avani Prashanth made the cut with a late birdie on the 7th hole, her 16th hole of the day, which pushed her inside the cutline. She carded a round of 71 to survive for the weekend rounds.
What is Pia Babnik's record on the Ladies European Tour?
Pia Babnik is a two-time Ladies European Tour winner who is chasing her third LET title at the SA Women's Open. She is also a two-time Olympian representing Slovenia.
