Golfer Ojaswini Saraswat, 13, youngest to make the Women’s Indian Open cut

Ojaswini Saraswat, a 13-year-old golfer, became the youngest player to make the cut at the Hero Women’s Indian Open on Friday. She is also the second-youngest player to make a cut at any Ladies European Tour event, following Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn. The previous Indian Open record was held by Aditi Ashok, who was 14 years old in 2012.

Saraswat will play the remaining rounds at the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurgaon, where she is making her debut against professional golfers. After an opening round of seven-over 79, her father, Om, encouraged her to play freely and not worry about the outcome. She managed to shoot a three-under 69 in her second round, with birdies on her last three holes, and is currently tied for 26th place after two days.

Ojaswini's parents encouraged her to take up golf when she was only four years old, as they recognized her natural talent for the sport. Neither parent had experience in golf, so they had to learn alongside her. They invested in specialized equipment for young children, which was difficult to find at the time. Ojaswini has shown remarkable dedication, attending online coaching sessions from experts in the US and Thailand.

Despite not attending school for the past three years, she maintains impressive academic scores and takes tuitions when she is back home. Her ultimate goal is to represent India at the Olympics and win, and she admires the golfer Rory McIlroy.