In-form Amandeep holds one-shot lead with a day to go

By Rahul Banerji

Amandeep Drall stayed atop the leader-board for a second straight day in the ninth and final leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Classic course on Thursday.

In round two, she added a level par 72 to her first round 71 to stay under par after 36 holes with teh final day of the season to go.

At 1-under 143, Amandeep is one shot clear of rookie pro Hitaashee Bakshi, who was the only player with a sub-par round on the day, while as many as eight players shot 72s.

Diksha Dagar (72), Ridhima Dilawari (72) and day one co-leader Vani Kapoor (75) were bunched with amateurs Hunar Mittal (74-72) and Avani Prashanth (74-72) on 2-over 146 in tied third place.

Hot pursuit

The final round of 2020 promises to be keenly contested as Amandeep has six others within three shots of her total.

Neha Tripathi improved on her first round 75 with 72 and was eighth, while Shagun Narain (76-72) and Astha Madan (76-72) were tied ninth on 149.

Tvesa Malik (73-76) coming to the end of a hectic 2020, and Pranavi Urs (75-75) were T11 with Afshan Fatima (77-72).

Amandeep, in excellent form since the re-start of the Tour, put herself in prime position for back-to-back titles and a third straight winner’s cheque – she was the top pro despite being second in the seventh leg.

The Kapurthala golfer had an early bogey-birdie swap and then dropped two shots before making the turn.

She picked up pace on the back nine with three birdies in four holes from 10^th to 13^th and could have had a second straight sub-par round but bogeyed the 17^th.

Steady round

Hitaashee had a steady 71 with one bogey on the front nine and two birdies on her way back.

Diksha, struggling since her return from the Ladies European Tour, finally found some form with three birdies and three bogeys for her 72.

Hunar Mittal and Avani Prashanth showed the depth among amateurs with par 72s both picking up shots on the closing 18^th.

Vani had a rough day with three bogeys, two of them in the last three holes and no birdies.

However, she is only three  behind the leader and still in the fray for the Order of Merit as well

Scores and Round 3 tee times

8:30 am: Trimann Saluja 168; Ayesha Kapur 166

8:40 am: Jyotsana Singh 166; Gursimar Badwal 162

8:50 am: Riya Yadav (A) 162; Rishika Muralidhar (A) 158; Vidhatri Urs (A) 156

9 am: Lakhmehar Pardesi 155; Anisha Agarwalla 155; Siddhi Kapoor 155

9:10 am: Rhea Jha 153; Jahanvi Bakshi 153; Nayanika Sanga (A) 152

9:25 am: Pranavi Urs 150; Seher Atwal 150; Tvesa Malik 149

9:35 am: Asmitha Sathish 149; Afshan Fatima 149; Astha Madan 148

9:45 am: Shagun Narain 148; Neha Tripathi 147; Vani Kapoor 146

9:55 am: Ridhima Dilawari 146; Avani Prashanth (A) 146; Hunar Mittal (A) 146

10:05 am: Diksha Dagar 146; Hitaashee Bakshi 144; Amandeep Drall 143

Also read: Amandeep, Vani share lead in 9th leg opener at Classic GCC