Silencing doubts, Diksha Dagar swings her way to Paris

The entire nation was awestruck when they witnessed a momentous occasion for Indian golf in Tokyo 2020.

Aditi Ashok's exceptional gameplay captivated the country as she climbed the leaderboard in the women's golf event, despite being world no. 200.

As the dust settled, it seemed Aditi would be the sole Indian representative for the foreseeable future, but the golfing landscape had other plans.

Enter Diksha Dagar, a young prodigy who defied expectations and qualified for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024.

The International Golf Federation announced this week that Diksha Dagar, a Ladies European Tour (LET) winner, has secured her spot for the Olympics thanks to her impressive world rankings in the women’s competition.

Ranked 41st on the latest Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR) during the qualification period between June 2022 and June 2024, she has demonstrated that Indian golf is on the rise.

The Paris Olympics, set to be played on August 7-10 at Le Golf National-the same course that hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup-will now feature this rising star.

A dream ignited

Born on December 14, 2000, Diksha began playing golf at the tender age of seven.

Her father, Colonel Narinder Dagar, a former scratch golfer who serves in the Indian Army, introduced her and her brother, Yogesh, to the sport.

Both siblings were born with a hearing impairment, but this did not deter Diksha from pursuing her passion.

"For the left-hander, it was difficult to find a set of clubs she could use comfortably," Narinder said in an interview with The Straits Times.

"Despite these obstacles, her passion never wavered. She would go to the golf course every day after school, have lunch there, and come back for more in the evening,” he added.

Diksha's determination and love for golf was evident from a young age. "I loved to play the sport, but no one was ready to provide coaching to me or my brother. So, my dad became my coach and my strength," she said.

"Being impaired, I hardly had any friends besides my family, so golf is my life,” she added.

Her journey was filled with challenges, but her parents always supported her, encouraging her not to take her hearing problem seriously.

She started playing golf at the amateur level in 2012 and was noted for her clean, long striking.

In November 2015, she was the low amateur at the Hero Women's Indian Open on the Ladies European Tour.

She won several tournaments since entering the circuit in 2012.

In 2016, she became the only Indian golfer to be ranked within the top 500 in the world rankings for the U18 category. In 2017, she won her maiden professional event at the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour. March 2018 saw her win the Singapore Ladies Amateur Open.

Diksha also registered the best score by an Indian in Thailand's Queen Sirikit Cup history when she achieved a score of three under 69 in June 2018, helping the Indian team finish sixth in the women's team event.

She was one of the medal winners as part of the Indian delegation at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics, where she clinched a silver medal in the women's golf event, becoming the first Indian to claim a Deaflympic medal in the sport of golf.

Diksha's journey was not just marked by her victories but also by the sacrifices she made. She turned down a scholarship offer from a prominent American university, instead choosing to turn professional. "I got that feeling, I want to do something more. I want to play golf at the top level," she said.

Conquering international courses

Diksha Dagar's journey as a professional golfer began in early 2019, marking a turning point in her career. 

Her talent quickly bore fruit, as she won the Investec South African Women's Open in March 2019, a prestigious tournament on the 2019 Ladies European Tour.

This victory was her first professional win, making her India's youngest woman to clinch a Ladies European Tour title at the tender age of 18.

She achieved this feat by defeating South Africa's three-time champion, Lee-Anne Pace, by a single shot.

This win not only made her the first Indian to clinch the South African Women's Open title but also the second Indian female overall to claim a Ladies European Tour title.

Her participation in the 2020 Ladies Scottish Open was historic as she, along with fellow Indian golfers Aditi Ashok and Tvesa Malik, became the first trio of golfers from India to participate in a single event on the Ladies European Tour.

Diksha Dagar's winning streak continued into 2021.

She secured victory in the Aramco Team Series in London, part of the 2021 Ladies European Tour, becoming only the second Indian female golfer after Aditi Ashok to win multiple titles on the Ladies European Tour.

Reflecting on Aditi's achievements, in an interview with Ladies European Tour, Dagar said, "It’s great to see Aditi win and very nice that she’s the first Indian to win the tournament. I will take a lot of motivation from this and her performance on the LET. This year has instilled a lot of confidence in all Indian players.”

Olympics calling 

Diksha Dagar's talent on the golf course earned her a prestigious spot representing India at the 2020 Summer Olympics, marking her maiden appearance at the Olympics.

Her entry into the Tokyo 2020 women's golf event was quite unexpected, as she cut following the withdrawal of South Africa's Paula Reto and Austria's decision not to send Sarah Schober as a replacement.

The International Golf Federation (IGF) subsequently reallocated the vacant spot to Diksha Dagar, paving the way for her historic Olympic debut.

This was a significant milestone as Diksha became one of the few deaf athletes to compete at the Olympics and the first Indian deaf sportsperson to represent the country in this esteemed event.

In addition to her Olympic debut, Diksha also qualified to compete at the 2021 Summer Deaflympics, held in May 2022.

This marked her second appearance at the Deaflympics, where she clinched the gold medal in the women's event by defeating USA's Ashlyn Grace in the final.

This victory was historic, making her the first and only golfer in Deaflympics history to secure two medals in golf since the sport was introduced to the Deaflympics in 2017.

Diksha had previously won a silver medal in Samsun, Turkey, in 2017, and her gold medal in 2022 further solidified her legacy in the sport.

A promising future

Reflecting on her journey between the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, Diksha feels she has matured significantly 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.

Diksha Dagar's achievements not only highlight her exceptional talent and dedication but also inspire athletes worldwide, proving that physical challenges can be overcome with perseverance and hard work.

Now, as she prepares to tee off at the Paris Olympics, the nation holds its breath, hopeful that this young prodigy will rewrite history and bring home a medal.