Avani Prashanth registers career-best tied-5th in Belgium

India’s rising golf talent Avani Prashanth achieved a major milestone in her young professional career by finishing tied for fifth at the Hulencourt Women’s Open in Belgium, part of the Ladies European Tour (LET).

This marks her best finish as a professional and her first top-10 result in her rookie season, just months after turning pro in October 2024 and earning her LET card in December.

The 18-year-old had gone into the final round with a one-shot lead after three exceptional rounds of 68, 69, and 69, but a final-round 3-over 75 dropped her back to a total of 7-under 281, tied with Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Avani began the final day in pole position but stumbled early with bogeys on the first two holes. Playing in the lead group under pressure, she couldn’t quite recover from the shaky start. Another bogey on the par-5 ninth added to the slide, and although she managed a birdie on the 13th, a wayward tee shot on the 18th led to another dropped shot.

She closed with a 75, her worst round of the week, despite leading for most of the tournament. However, this tied-fifth finish was a breakthrough moment for the Bengaluru teenager, who had previously finished T-5 at the 2023 Hero Women’s Indian Open while still an amateur.

Reflecting on her performance, Avani said, “It’s my first top-5 as a professional, so of course I’m really happy with this. It’s just a reassurance that I know I can compete and beat the best. It’s been a great week, but I expected it to end a lot better than it did. I played some great golf over the past three days, so really, besides the final round, I have no complaints.” This result adds to her growing list of consistent performances this season, which includes four top-20 finishes on the LET.

Darcey Harry of Wales clinched the title at 13-under 275, carding a final round of 68, while France’s Nastasia Nadaud finished second. The rest of the leaderboard included New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey and Germany’s Helen Briem, but Avani stood out as the top Asian performer and the only Indian in the top five.

Among the other Indian participants, Diksha Dagar finished T-23 at 1-under 287, while Tvesa Malik placed T-48 at 5-over 293. Their performances added to India's growing footprint on the LET.

Having become the first Indian to win the Queen Sirikit Cup and represented the country at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, Avani's rise has been closely watched. Her performance in Belgium not only highlighted her immense skill and maturity but also showed she has the game to challenge for future titles. At just 18, Avani Prashanth is steadily forging her path among the elite of women’s golf and remains one of India’s brightest sporting prospects.