Aditi Ashok Named LET Rookie of the Year

Aditi Ashok Rookie of the Year: Aditi Ashok of India receives an OMEGA watch as the LET’s 2016 Rookie of the Year

Aditi Ashok sealed her sensational first season on the Ladies European Tour by collecting her Omega watch as the winner of the LET’s Rookie of the Year Award.

After two back-to-back wins at the Hero Women’s Indian Open and Qatar Ladies Open, the 18-year-old from Bangalore finished second on the Order of Merit, in the year that she also represented her country at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Golf’s newest superstar said: “Obviously there is a lot of attention, especially since the Olympics. A lot of people want to write about me because I'm an Olympian, and not just part of women's golf. In that sense, I think women's golf is getting more popular in India. I think it's good and I just try and deal with it the best that I can.

“Even before the Olympics, I was playing in LET events and I did sort of okay, but it wasn't like it was of interest at that time. But obviously after I played in the Olympics, everyone wants to know what I was doing because "the Olympian who was leading after two days is now playing here." I think that made a difference and hopefully the interest continues to grow, and not just with me, but with all the women golfers in India.”

Aditi is now looking forward to a well-earned rest before returning for her 2017 season. She added: “I've been playing a lot of events and been playing well through all of them. I think that's what's helping me. After this I'll have some off-time, so that's been good,” she said. “I'm just looking forward to going home. Spending three, four weeks at home, practice. I'm actually getting a new driver and 3-wood from the new 917, so I'm looking forward to practicing with those.”

LET Rookie of the Year
1984 Kitrina Douglas £19,900.00
1985 Laura Davies £21,736.00
1986 Patricia Gonzalez £7,570.00
1987 Trish Johnson £35,718.00
1988 Laurette Maritz £29,362.00
1989 Helen Alfredsson £20,355.00
1990 Pearl Sinn £28,407.00
1991 Helen Wadsworth £17,765.00
1992 Sandrine Mendiburu £26,896.00
1993 Annika Sorenstam £55,927.00
1994 Tracy Hanson £44,205.00
1995 Karrie Webb £90,556.00
1996 Anne-Marie Knight £31,322.00
1997 Anna Berg £19,333.00
1998 Laura Philo £26,574.00
1999 Elaine Ratcliffe £12,146.00
2000 Giulia Sergas £21,335.00
2001 Suzann Pettersen £129,546.00
2002 Kirsty S Taylor €52,903.90
2003 Rebecca Stevenson €70,065.38
2004 Minea Blomqvist €105,020.61
2005 Elisa Serramia €36,366.59
2006 Nikki Garrett €99,445.05
2007 Louise Stahle €79,678.66
2008 Melissa Reid €136,606.00
2009 Anna Nordqvist €100,966.44
2010 In-Kyung Kim €193,194.69
2011 Caroline Hedwall €278,528.87
2012 Carlota Ciganda €251,289.95
2013 Charley Hull €135,994.36
2014 Amy Boulden €83,982.17
2015 Emily Kristine Pedersen €171,688.41
2016 Aditi Ashok €206,664.97