Amandeep takes sole lead at BGC despite bogey run

By Rahul Banerji

Overcoming a late hat-trick of bogeys, Amandeep Drall stayed in the lead after the second round of the 10th leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Bangalore Golf Club on Thursday.

Day one co-leader Gursimar Badwal had four bogeys and one birdie in her last five holes for a 77, a day after shooting 67. She dropped to second and two behind Amandeep.

Amandeep, still searching for her first win this season, had just one birdie in a round of 5-over 75 on a day there were no sub-par scores.

She had an early double bogey but picked up a shot soon after to make the turn on level par. On a back nine made tougher by the wind, Amandeep dropped four shots including three more in a row at the very end.

Her best this season has been second place in both the second and third legs and tied third on four other occasions.

Gursimar had three bogeys before making the turn and dropped a further five shots against just one birdie for the day.

Sister power

The day’s most intriguing card was from Gurjot Badwal, Gursimar’s younger sister. The rookie, who shot 72 on day one, was on fire on the front nine with four birdies and no bogeys for a 4-under 31.

However, the back nine saw a complete transformation with eight bogeys against one birdie for a 7-over 42 on the way back in.

Gurjot’s 73 was still good enough for a share of third place alongside ninth leg winner Ridhima Dilawari (74) and Ananya Datar (77).

Shriya Vivek, who turned professional this May, had the day’s best card of 1-over 71 with two birdies and a double in the first half and a further dropped shot on the par-70 course.

On Friday, the Badwal sisters will play together in the final group with leader Amandeep Drall.

Ridhima, the only player to win thrice this year, had a bogey start but birdied twice thereafter to turn in one-under 34. On the back nine, she dropped six shots, who bogeys and two doubles against one par for a round of 74.

Gaurika Bishnoi (74) and Sonam Chugh (75) were T6, Afshan Fatima (74) and Neha Tripathi (76) were in eighth and Siddhi Kapoor (77) completed the Top-10.

Amateur Pranavi Urs who shot 78 in the first round withdrew on medical grounds.

Tee times for final round

Tee 1:

8:30 am : Shriya Vivek 150, Khushi Khanijau 150, Siddhi Kapoor 149;

8:40 am : Neha Tripathi 147, Afshan Fatima 147, Sonam Chugh 146;

8:50 am : Gaurika Bishnoi 146, Ananya Datar 145, Ridhima Dilawari 145;

9:00 am : Gurjot Badwal 145, Gursimar Badwal 144, Amandeep Drall 142;

Tee 10:

8:30 am : Jyotsana Singh 150, Anisha Padukone 151;

8:40 am : Mehar Atwal 152, Gauri Karhade 153;

8:50 am : Ishvari Prasanna 154, Anisha Agarwalla 155, Rhea P. Saravanan (A) 155;

9:00 am : Anousha Tripathi 155, Smriti Mehra 155, Tavleen Batra 156;

9:10 am : Suchitra Ramesh 156, Asmitha Sathish (A) 159, Tanirika Singh 164;

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