12-year-old from Kodagu earns her World Amateur Golf Ranking entry

Mysuru: Twelve-year-old golfer Ballachanda Aida Thimmaiah from Kodagu has emerged as the Overall Champion at the IGU Maharashtra Ladies & Junior Girls Golf Championship held at the Willingdon Sports Club from May 18 to 21.

A Bengaluru resident, Aida competed on the par-65 course and carded rounds of one-under, one-over and three-over to finish at +3 (198). Her impressive performance earned her a clean sweep of titles: Winner in Category B, Winner in the Combined Category A and B, and Overall Ladies Champion.

With this victory, Aida has become one of the youngest players to win an Overall IGU Championship, outperforming older and more experienced golfers.

The triumph also marks a major milestone in her young career, as it has earned her an official entry into the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) system at just 12 years of age.

Aida’s campaign stood out for the tournament’s only under-par round in the opening stages, followed by a steady and composed display across all three days.

Pressure of competing

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Aida said, “I don’t think this week’s achievement is going to sink in anytime soon. Becoming one of the youngest players ever to win an Overall IGU Championship honestly feels unbelievable.”

Recalling the pressure of competing against older golfers, she said, “I felt nervous, tired, under pressure and overwhelmed playing against older girls. But somewhere deep inside, I also felt ready for the pressure, and I believed in myself.”

Reflecting on the experience, Aida said the tournament taught her resilience and composure. “Golf gives you nothing easily. You earn every single moment. Maybe that’s what makes moments like this so emotional,” she added.

She also acknowledged the sacrifices behind the success. “There are early mornings, missed holidays, tough practice days, tears after bad rounds, constant travelling, and the people who never stopped believing in me even                                                when things got hard.”

On entering the WAGR rankings, she described it as a dream milestone. “It is a huge milestone for me and one I’ve dreamt about for a long time. I’m grateful to my coaches, academy, support team, family, friends and everyone                                             cheering me on through this journey,” she said.

Aida is the daughter of Ballachanda Den Thimmaiah and Sanjana Thimmaiah, originally from Virajpet in Kodagu and now settled in Bengaluru. Den Thimmaiah is engaged in land development, while Sanjana is a wedding planner.