Amateur star Vidhatri to turn pro on home turf as WPGT resumes

File photo of former All India Amateur winner Vidhatri Urs who will turn professional in her hometown on Wednesday at the Hero WPGT seventh leg. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji 

A past winner on the WGAI’s professional tour, Vidhatri Urs will shed her amateur status at the seventh leg of the season on home turf.

The Mysore golfer, a leading light on the Indian Golf Union circuit, has been a prolific winner on the amateur circuit including the IGU’s All India Amateurs.

The 18-year-old will now make her professional debut at the Jaychamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club on Wednesday, joining the growing band of young women willing to take on the hard grind of the money circuit.

Vidhatri has already tasted success on the WGAI pro circuit, having won in 2023 in Bangalore and coming close on a few other occasions.

Vidhatri follows in the footsteps of her cousin, Pranavi who turned pro a couple of years back and now plays on the Ladies European Tour, and opens on Wednesday alongside Geetika Ahuja and Anaggha Venkatesh.

More new faces

The WGAI, which has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade, welcomes three other newcomers into the pro ranks, Chitrangada Singh, Gourabi Bhowmick and Anvitha Narender. They have also played with distinction on the amateur circuit.

While much attention is on the hugely talented Vidhatri, the field will also see the experienced Sneha Singh, Amandeep Drall and Gaurika Bishnoi return to action after the summer break.

Amandeep, a former runner-up at the Hero Women’s Indian Open, has since lost her LET card but has played some events on invitation. She will be hoping to find her form again in the second half of the season.

Other talented amateurs expected to turn pro soon include Saanvi Somu and Keerthana Rajeev, who have also come close to winning in the recent past.

In the opening six events of the 2024 season, Hitaashee Bakshi won twice as did Sneha Singh.

While Sneha is in the field, Order of Merit leader, Hitaashee is playing the Singapore Ladies Masters this week.

Amandeep topped at one event and the season-opener was won by Mumbai amateur Nishna Patel.

Hitaashee is followed on the money list by Amandeep and the 2023 OOM winner, Sneha Singh.

Khushi Khanijau. Jasmine Shekar and Seher Atwal, playing in Singapore this week, follow in that order.

Round 1 tee times

All starts from Tee 1

8 am: Amandeep Drall, Gaurika Bishnoi

8:10 am: Mannat Brar (A), Karishma Govind, Sachika Singh

8:20 am: Gauri Karhade, Ananya Garg, Vrinda Yadav

8:30 am: Saanvi Somu (A), Ishvari Prasanna, Anvitha Narender

8:45 am: Anisha Agarwalla, Keerthana Rajeev (A), Gourabi Bhowmick

8:55 am: Prakruthi N. Sastry (A), Yaalisai Verma, Khushi Khanijau

9:05 am: Geetika Ahuja, Anaggha Venkatesh, Vidhatri Urs

9:15 am: Krishaa Nichani (A), Rhea Jha, Chitrangada Singh

9:30 am: Jahaanvie Walia, Sneha Singh, Rhea Purvi S.

9:40 am: Astha Madan, Snigdha Goswami, Ravjot K. Dosanjh

9:50 am: Shweta Mansingh, Disha Kavery, Jasmine Shekar

Also read: Pranavi finishes career-best T3 at LET event in Sweden, Tvesa T10