Amandeep Drall takes early lead in WPGT eighth leg

By Rahul Banerji

Last week’s top-finishing pro at Noida Golf Course, Amandeep Drall, led with a 2-under par 70 on the opening day of the eighth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour on Wednesday.

Amandeep was one shot ahead of amateur Avani Prashanth (71) and seasoned Tvesa Malik (71) at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

Tvesa made a return to the domestic circuit for the first time since the second leg of the Tour in January, the WGAI media office said.

Amandeep, one of the most consistent players on the domestic scene, opened with four pars and a birdie on fifth.

She gave away a shot on the sixth but had back-to-back birdies on eight and nine to turn in 2-under 34.

Up and down

On the back nine, Amandeep swapped three birdies against three bogeys for a card of 70.

Debutant pro Jahanvi Bakshi and Seher Atwal carded level par 72s to share fourth place, while Astha Madan (73) was sixth.

Pranavi Urs, who won the second and third legs before the Tour was halted on account of the pandemic, was tie seventh alongside another pro debutant, Hitaashee Bakshi, on of 2-over 74.

Amateur Kriti Chowhan (76) and Ridhima Dilawari (77) completed the top ten.

Last week’s winner, Sneha Singh had a triple bogey and a bogey for a 78 for 11^th place.

Vani Kapoor, who had a quadruple bogey nine on the par-5 fourth on home ground, and Siddhi Kapoor, were T12 on 79s.

Roller-coaster

Ladies European Tour card holder Diksha Dagar (79) had five birdies, but her last six holes were a roller-coaster.

She had three birdies, a triple bogey, a double and a bogey over that final stretch to also share twelfth place.

Tvesa seemed set for the lead as she came to the 17^th tee at 3-under.

However, a bogey-bogey finish meant she would finish the day one behind Amandeep.

Keeping the amateur flag flying was Avani Prashanth who had five birdies against two bogeys and a double on the par-3 12^th.

Sneha, who was nerveless at NGC last week, dropped three shots on the par-4 17^th, blading her uphill approach for a lost ball and consequent punishment.

In all, the Hyderabad teenager had five bogeys and the triple against two birdies.

Round 2 groups and scores

8:30 am: Jyotsana Singh 87; Lakhmehar Pardesi 85

8:40 am: Anisha Agarwalla 84; Neha Tripathi 84; Rhea Jha 84

8:50 am: Shagun Narain 83; Trimann Saluja 83; Geetika Ahuja 83

9 am: Gursimar Badwal 81; Nayanika Sanga (A) 81; Afshan Fatima 80

9:10 am: Siddhi Kapoor 79; Vani Kapoor 79; Saaniya Sharma 79

9:20 am: Diksha Dagar 79; Sneha Singh (A) 78;  Ridhima Dilawari 77

9:30 am Kriti Chowhan (A) 76; Hitaashee Bakshi 74;  Pranavi Urs 74

9:40 am: Astha Madan 73; Seher Atwal 72; Jahanvi Bakshi 72

9:50 am: Tvesa Malik 71; Avani Prashanth (A) 71; Amandeep Drall 70

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