Tokyo Olympics 2020: Wishes pour in for golfer Aditi Ashok after historic fourth-place finish

Golfer Aditi Ashok came agonisingly close to adding to India’s tally at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday. She carded a three-under 68 on the fourth and final round for a 15-under score over the four days.

Ashok, ranked 200th in the world, finished two strokes behind gold medallist Nelly Korda in a tense fourth round that was interrupted by rain.

Korda ensured a double for the USA in golf with Xander Schauffele taking the gold in the men’s event earlier. There was a playoff for the silver and bronze medals where Japan’s Mone Inami bagged second place with the third going to New Zealand’s Lydia Ko.

The Bengaluru-based golfer was in silver medal position coming into the final round but her chances were hurt by bogeys on the ninth and 11th holes. She stayed in contention until the final hole with five birdies - on the 5th, 6th, 8th, 13th, and 14th holes - along the way but wasn’t able to stand atop the podium.

With her fourth place, Ashok, who had become the first female golfer to represent India at the Olympics in 2016, joined the women’s hockey team in coming close to making the podium only to miss out narrowly. On Friday, the women’s hockey team were beaten 5-4 by Great Britain in the bronze medal playoff match.

Here are some Twitter reactions:

Excellent composure & perseverance shown by @aditigolf throughout the last 4 days. Ranked 200th at the start of #Tokyo2020 to finishing fourth at the #Olympics, an absolutely incredible performance!You have made the whole country proud today! I’m a fan for life !

— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) August 7, 2021

India’s 🇮🇳 1st woman golfer
to finish 4th at Olympics Games!

Aditi Ashok, deserves a standing ovation for her exemplary performance at #Tokyo2020.

You played consistently well, had us holding our breath till the end @aditigolf !

You created history, best wishes ahead. pic.twitter.com/ZirJgzcgFw

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) August 7, 2021

Well played @aditigolf! You have shown tremendous skill and resolve during #Tokyo2020. A medal was narrowly missed but you’ve gone farther than any Indian and blazed a trail. Best wishes for your future endeavours.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 7, 2021

Well played, Aditi Ashok! One more daughter of India makes her mark!

You have taken Indian golfing to new heights by today's historic performance. You have played with immense calm and poise. Congratulations for the impressive display of grit and skills.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 7, 2021

Well done #AditiAshok. So near and yet so far but that is part of the emotion and learning in sport. You will become a better player for this.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 7, 2021

🌟 This is an Aditi Ashok appreciation tweet 🌟#Tokyo2020 @aditigolf pic.twitter.com/5U2a1jt1RR

— Olympic Khel (@OlympicKhel) August 7, 2021

Shout-out to Aditi Ashok:
🔸 200th player in the world
🔸 Her caddie at #Tokyo2020 was her mother 🥰
🔸 Fought until the end for a medal in #Golf

👏👏👏#IND pic.twitter.com/Um63O321DB

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 7, 2021

Aditi Ashok, you missed the Olympic medal by a whisker but you have finished at 4th spot at #Tokyo2020 !
We are proud of your achievement @aditigolf and best wishes for your future journey!#Cheer4India 🇮🇳 https://t.co/QUaeNVAJRu pic.twitter.com/tBRN3narYI

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 7, 2021

Medal or not, golf in India is better now than before she began the olympics

Thank you Aditi Ashok

🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

— Somdev Devvarman (@SomdevD) August 7, 2021

#India is proud of you #AditiAshok 🇮🇳

Salute your efforts👏🏾🙏🏾 Only onwards and upwards from here!

Also a special mention to Aditi’s mom for a spectacular effort as caddie!

Thank you for bringing #Golf to all of us! @aditigolf #Olympics

— Neha Aggarwal Sharma OLY (@nehaaggarwal) August 7, 2021

Not a nice thing to be a member of this club #Golf #4thposition #Olympics @aditigolf you will be remembered forever for this effort in #TokyoOlympics till you come back in #Paris2024 #thankyou #TeamIndia

— Joydeep Karmakar OLY (@Joydeep709) August 7, 2021

Congrats @aditigolf while I know the pain of finishing 4th, what you did the last four days playing against the best in the business is nothing short of spectacular . I am a fan for life .. 👏👏👏 #RuknaNahiHai #olympics

— Mahesh Bhupathi (@Maheshbhupathi) August 7, 2021

@aditigolf you did everything you could and put it all out there. There may not be a medal to show but people in India will know the sport we love thanks to your effort and heart. Great performance 👏🏻 Let’s see some public courses and driving ranges please. The kids need it.

— Anirban Lahiri (@anirbangolf) August 7, 2021

Proud of the way you competed these past 4 days against the best in the world @aditigolf . So much heart and spirit 💪🏽.. #golfindia

— Rohan Bopanna (@rohanbopanna) August 7, 2021

In the 2016 #OlympicGames at Rio, Aditi Ashok' s father, Ashok Gudlamanu was her caddie (finished joint 41st), while in #Tokio2020 her mother, Maheshwari, took over the duties. She finished 4th.
Incidentally, at 18, she was the youngest golfer in the 2016 Rio #Olympics#Golf

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 7, 2021