Hitaashee Bakshi is on track for a full exemption on the LET for 2026
India’s Hitaashee Bakshi, the 2024 Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour (Hero WPGT) Order of Merit leader, who started her first year on the Ladies European Tour in 2025, capped off a breakthrough week with a third-place finish at the Hero Women’s Indian Open, posting rounds of 70-67-70-76 for a total of 5-under 283. The 21-year-old led the tournament heading into the final round and looked poised for a Ladies European Tour (LET) victory before a rough stretch on the front nine derailed her title hopes.
Pranavi Urs of Mysore, who finished 14th in her rookie 2024 season on the LET, finished fourth at 4-under 284 with rounds of 72-67-73-72. Avani Prashanth of Bangalore, in her rookie year in Europe, who celebrated her 19th birthday earlier in the week, produced a consistent 73-71-70-71 (3-under 285) for a tied-fifth finish — marking the best-ever collective performance by Indian players, with three finishing inside the top five.
Vani Kapoor, the experienced first-round leader with a 67, closed with a tied-10th finish (1-over 289), while 17-year-old amateur Zara Anand impressed with rounds of 68-70-76-77, taking T-15 at 3-over 291 as the best Indian amateur.
England’s Alice Hewson, playing in the final group, stumbled with a double bogey on the 18th hole, allowing Singapore’s Shannon Tan to clinch victory at 7-under 281 — her third LET title and first Indian Open crown, making her the first Singaporean to win the event. Hewson finished runner-up at 6-under 282, while Hitaashee took solo third.
Hitaashee, will now look forward to playing on the LET in 2026 courtesy of her full playing rights due to her third place finish at the tournament.
As the LET season nears its close, the Hero Women’s Indian Open once again reaffirmed its reputation as a proving ground for India’s rising stars — and for Hitaashee Bakshi, this week may well be the turning point that shapes her international career.