BENGALURU: Indian golfer
Aditi Ashok may be unable to do what she likes doing best, but she feels she is fortunate in a way to be confined to the comforts of her home here than being stuck in a
Phoenix hotel in the United States.
The lone Indian on the
LPGA Tour was to fly out of India on the night American President
Donald Trump's announcement of a 30-day ban on foreigners coming from Europe, barring the United Kingdom, was to take effect (March 13) following the
Covid-19 pandemic.
Keen to reach Phoenix for the American swing following a tied fourth-place finish at the Women's NSW Open on the Ladies European Tour, the 22-year-old pro tried frantically to advance her departure.
"We were trying to prepone our ticket by a day so that we could get there (US) before the Friday midnight ban could come into effect," Aditi revealed to TOI. "The interminable wait to get through to the airlines proved futile and we went ahead and booked a ticket via London. However, within a day the event got cancelled."
In hindsight, the 22-year-old felt it was a good decision not to go. "I would be pretty much stuck in the US if I had left on Thursday and I don't know if I would have been able to return. We would have gone there knowing the first three weeks were cancelled and subsequently the LPGA cancelled the next three tournaments as well. It could have just been a pain. And it would have been expensive living there for seven weeks," she pointed out.
Teeing off on terraceHer last round of golf was over a month ago, a brilliant five-under 67 in the final round at the NSW Open, and she hadn't hit balls at the range for over three weeks. The three-time winner on the LET hasn't probably stayed away from the sport this long since her formative years in the sport.
"It is definitely not easy not being able to do what you are passionate about. This has never happened, sitting at home all day and doing nothing. I think it is not so much the inactivity on the physical side, but more the inactivity of the mind that makes it difficult. It is not what I am used to. I have ordered a net and a mat online to hit balls on the terrace," Aditi said.