By Rahul Banerji
Nishna Patel led amateurs into three of the top four places on Wednesday’s opening day of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour season at the Poona Club Golf Course.
While the Mumbai player – winner of the 2023 Western India Ladies – returned a 5-under 66, fellow amateur Mannat Brar (69) shot a 69 as did professional Hitaashee Bakshi (69).
Anuradha Chaudhuri, who has been doing well on the Indian Golf Union’s amateur circuit, carded a 1-under 70 to hold fourth place.
Nishna, a member of the Indian amateur team for a while now, shot a stunning round that included an eagle 2 on the par-4 sixth hole, besides four other birdies against one bogey.
Hitaashee dropped two shots in her first three holes but recovered with an eagle on the par-4 fifth and birdies on holes seven and 14.
Mannat Brar, who will be playing at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championships next month in Thailand, opened with a birdie and closed with an eagle besides two dropped shots and a second birdie.
Mixed bag
Anuradha had five birdies, including one each on the first and last holes of the day, against one bogey and one double.
The 2023 Hero Order of Merit leader Sneha Singh (72) was tied for fifth place alongside Jasmine Shekar and Khushi Khanijau.
Khushi seemed set for a good round as she ran up four birdies against two bogeys on the front nine and added another birdie on the 10th to be three-under.
However, four dropped shots thereafter dented her card.
Amandeep Drall (73) and Rhea Jha (73) were tied for eighth while Neha Tripathi, Saaniya Sharma, Ananya Garg, Seher Atwal and Shweta Mansingh were tied for 10th. They carded 3-over 74 each.
Scores and round 2 tee times
8:30 am: Anaggha Venkatesh 84; Shagun Narain 84
8:40 am: Khushi 83; Agrima Manral 80
8:50 am: Ketaki Sood (A) 80; Riya Yadav 80; Sachika Singh 80
9 am: Gauri Karhade 79; Mehar Atwal 79; Disha Kavery 78
9:10 am: Ravjot K. Dosanjh 78; Jahaanvie Walia 78; Jaanya Bishnoi (A) 78
9:25 am: Karishma Govind 77; Anisha Agarwalla 77; Taniya Balasuriya 76
9:35 am: Rhea Purvi Saravanan 75; Yaalisai Verma 75; Ananya Datar 75
9:45 am: Snigdha Goswami 75; Shweta Mansingh 74; Seher Atwal 74
9:55 am: Ananya Garg 74; Neha Tripathi 74; Saaniya Sharma 74
10.10 am: Amandeep Drall 73; Rhea Jha 73; Khushi Khanijau 72
10.20 am: Sneha Singh 72; Jasmine Shekar 72; Anuradha Chaudhuri (A) 70
10.30 am: Mannat Brar (A) 69; Hitaashee Bakshi 69; Nishna Patel (A) 66
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