By Rahul Banerji
Norway’s Tonje Daffinrud led the $500,000 Hero Women’s Indian Open with a first round six under par 66, but it was young Ridhima Dilawari who stole the show at the DLF Golf and Country Club on Friday.
Playing in only her second professional event, the 19-year-old DGC golfer blitzed to a three under 69 and a share of fifth place in a packed and experienced field.
Had it not been for a three-putt bogey on the par-4 14th hole, Ridhima would have been still higher up the leader board. As it was, a run of three birdies on the most difficult holes on the course gave her a share of fifth place.
On a day that had a distinct Nordic flavor, Daffinrud too had a hat-trick of birdies to open a gap on the rest of the field.
She led by two shots from fellow-Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord; Thailand’s Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras and experienced Austrian Christine Wolf on 68s each.
Ridhima was alongside 2011 champion, Caroline Hedwall of Swden and England’s Florentyna Parker.
Strong display
“I turned pro about three weeks ago,” Ridhima said later. “I played one WGAI event about two weeks ago, so this is my second pro event. That bogey was pretty stupid. I three-putted that hole.”
Asked how her game had gone, Ridhima said, “I hit a lot of greens today. I hit 16 greens, so that was pretty solid. I was hitting the ball well.
“On this course you have to be there 100% mentally the entire time. If you let up even once, this course is not very forgiving.
“So I felt very good with just just being 100% committed to every shot on the course today.
“You need to get used to the course by playing it a few times. But then even if you have played it, you still have to hit the shots.”
Slice of luck
Gaurika Bishnoi was the other Indian in red numbers with a one-under71 for tied 11th that included a birdie on the brutish 17th hole.
“This course owes me a few,” Gaurika said later. “So it was nice to get that slice of luck for a birdie when it could easily have been a bogey or worse.
“The 17th unfortunately wasn’t recorded on the television, but it was a shot worth recording. I did my yardages wrong, I was supposed to subtract but I added and I hit my pitching wedge for a 110 but it was actually a 100 yards. I was extremely lucky.”
On level par after a birdie on 16th, Gaurika’s approach shot ricocheted off the wall of boulders to the left and then deflected from a large stone on the side of the green.
The ball rolled five feet past the flag and she made the birdie putt to go one-under-par.
Daffinrud’s 66 was the lowest first round score at the venue since Swede Pernilla Lindberg and Thai Nontaya Srisawang achieved it in 2011, but on the easier Arnold Palmer course.
The next best Indians were Tvesa Malik, Afshan Fatima and amateur Sifat Sagoo all with 72, were T18.
Daffinrud has never broken par at this course and her best finish was a T40 in 2015. She missed the cut last two years.
Happy chappie
Expectedly, she was elated. “I’m really happy with that. I’ve never shot under par on this course and to make quite a lot of birdies and not many mistakes was a really good day.”
On the brutish 17th, where she got a birdie, Daffinrud said, “It’s a hole where you almost want to close your eyes while you play it.
“I hit it close, to two metres, made the putt. I lowered my shoulders after that and went for it. There’s three more days but I had a great start today, so I’m excited for tomorrow.”
Of the early starters, Thailand’s Pannarat shot a bogey-free four-under-par 68 in hot and humid conditions. The 20-year-old has been a pro on the LPGA for three years and she knocked in four birdies without any bogeys on her tournament debut.
She said later: “This course is pretty tough, so you have to stick to the plan and stay patient.
“You need to hit the fairways and greens and hit the right part of the green and try to make two putts. Par is good enough for the course.”
The favoured Vani Kapoor was off-colour on her home course with a five-over par 77 while upcoming teenager Pranavi Urs had a four over 76.
Also read: Former champ Caroline Hedwall returns for Hero Women’s Indian Open
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