By Rahul Banerji
Chandigarh-based amateur Hunar Mittal led the field after the first day of the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour’s sixth leg at the Classic Golf and Country Club near Gurgaon on Wednesday.
Asmitha Satish of Bangalore, was also in the top five on a day the amateurs held their own against a seasoned field of professionals in the 26-strong field.
Neha Tripathi made a welcome return to form to sit in tied second place alongside fifth leg winner Vani Kapoor on 1-over par 73s, one shot behind the leader.
Asmitha was on 2-over 74 along with 2019 Order of Marit topper Gaurika Bishnoi, with two-time winner this season Pranavi Urs a further shot behind accompanied by Rhea Jha, Oviya Reddi and Siddhi Kapoor.
Hunar’s day one round was a mixed bag. She had one bogey against two birdies on her outbound nine to make the turn on 1-under 35.
On her way back to the clubhouse, however, the 15-year-old, who is trained by Jesse Grewal, dropped three shots against two birdies for a level par 72 card.
Hunar, who won the Faldo Series India Championship in January, is been among the top amateurs in the country. Though she was tied with Sneha Singh in the weather-hit event at Jaypee Greens, Hunar was declared the winner on count back.
Vani and Neha had their share of ups and downs as well.
Clean run
The former, who went winless in 2019 and won only once in the first event of 2018, had a flawless first nine holes in the course of which she also picked up a shot.
Vani was more erratic on the back nine with a bogey and a double on consecutive holes, only salvaged by a late birdie while Neha mixed two birdies against three dropped shots for her 73.
Asmitha was ahead of the field for the first nine holes, making the turn on 2-under 34 but her touch went missing on the back nine with four bogeys against five pars.
Fourth leg winner Amandeep Drall was 10th, four shots behind the leader.
Round 2 tee times and scores
8:30 am: Anousha Tripathi 84; Trimann Saluja 83
8:40 am: Ishvari Prasanna 83; Tanirika Singh 83; Shagun Narain 82
8:50 am: Mehar Atwal 82; Smriti Mehra 82; Ridhima Dilawari 81
9 am: Ayesha Kapur 81; Saaniya Sharma 79; Sonam Chugh 79
9:10 am: Lakhmehar Pardesi 79; Jyotsana Singh 79; Gursimar Badwal 79
9:20 am: Khushi Khanijau 78; Gurjot Badwal 77; Amandeep Drall 76
9:30 am: Siddhi Kapoor 75; Oviya Reddi 75; Rhea Jha 75
9:40 am: Pranavi Urs 75; Gaurika Bishnoi 74; Asmitha Sathish (A) 74
9:50 am: Vani Kapoor 73; Neha Tripathi 73; Hunar Mittal (A) 72
All eyes on Udayan Mane
Meanwhile, in Kolkata, in-form Udayan Mane will be the focus of attention in the Rs 30 lakh Bengal Open Golf Championship 2020 that tees off at the Tollygunge Club later in the day.
Besides Mane, who won the opening two events of the 2020 season besides the 2019 year-ender in Jamshedpur, top Indian names in the fray include Chikkarangappa S, (the sixth-highest ranked Indian at 374) and Aman Raj (seventh-highest ranked at 402).
Other international regulars include Rahil Gangjee, Viraj Madappa, Khalin Joshi and Honey Baisoya who recently earned his maiden Asian Tour card.
On fire
Udayan Mane has been on fire having won three consecutive titles on the PGTI including the first two events of the 2020 season. He is also the second-highest ranked Indian in the world at 252 behind Rashid Khan (185).
Mane now has an opportunity to set a record by becoming the first ever player to win four successive tournaments on the PGTI.
Bangladesh’s Md Zamal Hossain Mollah, winner of the inaugural edition last year, returns to defend his title.
Besides Zamal, other prominent foreign names in the field of 126 include the Sri Lankan quartet of Mithun Perera, Anura Rohana, N. Thangaraja and K. Prabagaran.
Also read: Hunar Mittal tops Faldo junior golf series India leg
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