Diksha Dagar on European trail to prepare for Paris 2024, says 'want to compete hard at Olympics'

Indian golfer Diksha Dagar, who made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, is looking forward to a packed European calendar ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Last week, Diksha became the first Indian golfer to tee off in 100 Ladies European Tour (LET) events. Beginning this week at the German Masters in Berlin, ‘centurion’ Diksha will participate in at least nine golf events, almost all in Europe, to prepare for the upcoming Summer Games in Paris in July-August.

“All events from here on will be like an Olympics for me. Focusing on my discipline and process in all the tournaments that I am going to play will be important,” Diksha said during a Fit India Champions podcast.

Interestingly, Diksha was a last-minute entry at Tokyo 2020 after South African golfer Paula Reto withdrew. At the Tokyo Olympics, Diksha finished T-50 and is focused on doing well in Paris.

“In Tokyo, I was happy just participating. It was a great experience, learning and motivation for me. For Paris, I am more committed and focused on performing well rather than just participating,” said Diksha.

The Indian golfer is currently placed 37th in the Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR) and is well-placed to obtain a quota for the Paris 2024 Olympics with the top 60 making the cut. Aditi Ashok is the best-placed Indian women’s golfer in the OGR at 25th.

However, as National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.

Diksha is the only golfer to have appeared in both the Olympics and the Deaflympics, where she is a two-time medallist. The 23-year-old won a silver in 2017 in Turkey and a gold in 2022 in Brazil.

Having turned professional in 2019, Diksha Dagar won on the Ladies European Tour in her first full season, clinching the South African Women's Open title that year.

She became only the second Indian woman to win on the LET after Aditi Ashok and became the youngest to do so at the age of 18. Her other title on the Ladies European Tour came last year at the Czech Ladies Open in 2023.

“I really want to get into the LPGA. That will test my levels. I want to finish in the world top 50,” Diksha, currently ranked 147th in the world, said.

Between Tokyo and Paris, Diksha feels she has matured as a golfer.

“I have improved on various aspects related to mental makeup, dealing with expectations, training, fitness, travel and preparation. In a way, I have kind of done my graduation and am doing my Master’s degree in nuances of professional golf. I am more balanced, stable and a happier pro,” she told SAI Media in an interview from Berlin on Tuesday.

Diksha is a 2023 Arjuna Award recipient and is also the first deaf sportsperson to have represented India at the Olympics. She also holds the honour of being the only golfer to secure two Deaflympics medals since the introduction of the sport in 2017.