Women pros back in action at NGC after nine-month break

By Rahul Banerji

Women professional golfers will be back on the circuit after a gap of near nine months in the seventh leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour that gets under way at the Noida Golf Course on Wednesday.

The Women’s Golf Association of India has scheduled three events over the next three weeks.

The last tournament on the Hero WPGT was the sixth leg in the first half of March 2020.

The field is led by Hero Order of Merit leader Vani Kapoor and includes established names like Diksha Dagar, Ridhima Dilawari, Neha Tripathi, Amandeep Drall, Gursimar Badwal and Saaniya Sharma.

In all, the NGC event has attracted a field of 23 women, including five amateurs with players coming from all over India.

Among the WGAI players who saw action on the Ladies European Tour, Tvesa Malik, Diksha and Astha Madan are all in the field for the eighth and ninth legs of the Tour.

Of the three, only Diksha is playing at Noida.

‘Best news’

Vani, who had to stay put in India due to the pandemic, said, “The resumption of the Tour is the best news in a long time, and I have been waiting for it.

“Hopefully it will put everyone in the right frame of mind.”

Ridhima, who had qualified for the China LPGA Tour but could not participate, added, “I have been practicing at every course and driving range around the NCR like DLF, Skyline, Harmoni and so on.

“But nothing beats a competitive pro event, so this is very welcome for all of us.”

The Hero WPG Tour held six events in the first quarter of 2020, before the pandemic brought it to a halt. Those six produced different winners, including an amateur.

After Ridhima took the opening event, Pranavi Urs won the next two but with different status –  the second leg as an amateur and then the third leg in her first start as a professional.

Amandeep Drall, Vani and Gursimar Badwal won the subsequent three events in that order.

The WGAI will follow Covid protocols and adhere to regulations prescribed by the government and doctors.

All players will undergo temperature screening before being allowed to play, and caddies will strictly maintain social spacing.

Caddies will also be required to wear masks and provided with sanitizer and gloves.

Draw and round one tee-off times

9 am: Anisha Agarwalla; Kriti Chowhan (A)

9.10 am: Saaniya Sharma; Afshan Fatima; Ridhima Dilawari

9.20 am: Jyotsana Singh; Lakhmehar Pardesi; Nayanika Sanga (A)

9.30 am: Hunar Mittal (A) Amandeep Drall; Siddhi Kapoor

9:40 am: Anousha Tripathi; Neha Tripathi; Avani Prashanth (A)

9:50 am:  Trimann Saluja; Geetika Ahuja; Vani Kapoor

10 am: Shagun Narain; Diksha Dagar; Rhea Jha

10:10 am: Sneha Singh (A); Seher Atwal; Gursimar Badwal

Also read: Domestic professional golf returns after eight-month hiatus