Diksha Dagar recovered from an early bogey to post a composed 2-under 69 on Day 1 of the 2026 AIG Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, placing the Indian golfer in a share of eighth place on the opening leaderboard. Fellow Indian Aditi Ashok carded a 74 to sit tied-75th, leaving her needing a strong second round to survive the 36-hole cut in the final Major of the women's season.

How Diksha's Round Unfolded

Diksha opened with back-to-back pars before dropping a shot on the third hole — her only bogey of the day. She immediately bounced back with a birdie on the fifth, then strung together six consecutive pars through the 13th. Birdies on the 13th and 16th gave her a comfortable cushion, and she closed with two pars on the Par-71 layout for her round of 69.

It is Diksha's seventh appearance at the AIG Women's Open. Her previous best at this event was a tied-21st finish in 2023; she was tied-46th last year. A strong season in 2026 — albeit without a victory — has her primed for a deep run at a Major.

Aditi Ashok's Difficult Opening Day

Aditi Ashok managed just one birdie, on the second hole, before dropping shots on the fourth, fifth, 15th and 18th holes to return a 74. This is Aditi's ninth appearance at the Women's Open and her 39th Major start overall — a record for any Indian golfer, male or female. She has made the cut at this event only twice, with a career-best finish of tied-22nd in 2018.

Thitikul Leads by Two at the Top

Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul, ranked world number two, stormed to the top of the leaderboard with a blistering 7-under 64. She reeled off three consecutive birdies on holes four, five and six, added another on the eighth, and completed her haul with birdies on the 11th, 13th and 15th. Thitikul leads by two strokes heading into Round 2.

The five-time LET winner has fond memories of Royal Lytham & St Annes, having claimed the Smyth Salver here during the 2018 edition of this event as an amateur. 'I should be better than when I was 15 years old! It played the same; I think there are still bunkers in the way, and when you play well, you keep the momentum going. My strategy is to beat my score from when I was 15,' Thitikul said.

Ryu, Kuwaki and the Rest of the Leaderboard

Two-time Major champion Haeran Ryu — winner of both the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship back-to-back — and Japan's Shiho Kuwaki share second place at 5-under par. Ryu birdied the first, fourth, sixth and seventh holes, absorbed a bogey on the 15th, then closed with birdies on 16 and 18. Kuwaki was near-flawless, recording just one bogey against birdies on the fourth, fifth, sixth, 11th, 16th and 18th.

American Yealimi Noh and France's Celine Boutier are tied fourth at 4-under. Boutier was bogey-free, converting an eagle on the sixth and birdies on the ninth and 13th for a 67. Japan's Chizzy Iwai and Thailand's Chanettee Wannasaen share sixth at 3-under, one ahead of a nine-player group at 2-under that includes Diksha, England's Lottie Woad and Charley Hull, Singapore's Shannon Tan — the 2025 LET Order of Merit winner — and Spanish amateur Paula Martin Sampedro.

What to Watch in Round 2

Aditi will need a significant turnaround on Day 2 to make the cut, while Diksha has a genuine opportunity to climb the leaderboard and record her best-ever Major finish. Thitikul's commanding lead sets up a compelling second round at one of links golf's most storied venues.