By Rahul Banerji
Austria’s Christine Wolf hit a second successive 4-under 68 to open up a four-shot lead over the field at the halfway stage of the Hero Women’s Indian Open 2018 at the DLF Golf and Country Club on Friday.
While Ridhima Dilawari was unable to reproduce her first day form, Tvesa Malik and Gaurika Bishnoi kept the home challenge alive.
Tvesa carded a second successive low round while Gaurika was more profligate but both had good moments on the DLF Black Mountain layout.
Just 10 golfers in the full field have sub-par scores after two rounds, an indication of just how unforgiving the course has played. Even with some relatively soft pin positions.
Up and down round
Thailand’s Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras dropped shots all over the back nine after having closed to one behind Wolf.
Pannarat had an awful penultimate hole which she triple-bogeyed after finding the water twice.
A closing birdie however limited the damage somewhat after she had played some solid golf on her outward nine holes, once again marred by water on the just before the turn.
Wolf, who had never shot a round in the 60s in her previous four visits to India, has now done it twice in last two days.
With seven birdies in a nine-hole stretch and three bogeys, Wolf has set herself up for a maiden LET win in a six-year pro career. Her previous best here was a T11 in 2016, when she had a share of the lead after the first day.
Tvesa (72-71) was T7 alongside Denmark’s Nicole Broch Larsen (74-69), Celine Boutier (72-71) of France and Thailand’s Kanphanitan Muangkhumsakul (72-71).
Eight go through
Eight Indians including three amateurs made the cut that fell at 7-over.
Besides Tvesa, the others were Gaurika (71-74) at T16, Ridhima Dilawari (69-77) at T27, Vani Kapoor (77-73), Astha Madan (75-75) and amateurs Pranavi Urs (76-74) Sifat Sagoo (72-79) and Diksha Dagar (75-76).
This is the highest number of Indians to make the cut at the Hero Women’s Indian Open.
Tvesa said, “I’m disappointed with today, I feel I could have finished much better, I had a lot of good chances for birdies especially in the last 4-5 holes but I could not convert.
“My game has been good so hopefully tomorrow and day after will be better.
“I started really good with two birdies on the 10th and 11th, had another birdie on the 16th but after that I just missed a lot of birdies.
“I believe when you play against so many players and everyone is a great player you automatically tend to play better yourself, I feel it pushes you in the right direction.
“There are limited girls on the domestic tour but there’s more and more turning pro every year. Everyone is now thinking of playing some events outside so the competition is obviously there.”
Heavy price
Overnight leader, Norway’s Tonje Daffinrud (66-75) was 1-under through 13 holes, before she triple bogeyed and dropped yet another shot lose four shots in two holes. She parred the rest for 75 and was 3-under 141 for third place.
Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord (68-74), French golfer Manon Molle (72-70) and England’s Eleanor Givens were 2-under and tied fourth.
Wolf said, “I’m really pleased with the way I played yesterday and also today. I hit a lot of greens and hit my iron shots close, so I gave myself a lot of chances and I really enjoyed it out there.
“I made a lot of birdies and tried to keep high numbers off the score card.”
Tvesa, who won the last WGAI event three weeks ago at this course, outscored her experienced partners, Beth Allen, Order of Merit topper in 2016, and Caroline Hedwall, HWIO champion and Order of Merit winner in 2011.
Hedwall is now T27 and Allen T30.
Also read: Former champ Caroline Hedwall returns for Hero Women’s Indian Open