Ananya Datar, Tvesa Malik share first round lead at BPGC

By Rahul Banerji

Local girl Ananya Datar and Tvesa Malik shared the first round lead of the second leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club on Wednesday with 1-over 71s.

Making her first 2020 appearance, Tvesa, who won three times in 2019, is looking to balance her domestic schedule on Hero WPG Tour with the Ladies European Tour.

For her part, Ananya, who turned pro in 2019 and finished with Rookie of the Year honours, is in search of her maiden professional win.

International commitments

From the field at last week’s opening event, winner Ridhima Dilawari is playing the China LPGA qualifiers, while Diksha Dagar and Astha Madan will be in action at the Australian Ladies PGA qualifiers.

On the day, Tvesa had three birdies against four bogeys, while Ananya balanced two birdies against three bogeys to join Tvesa atop the leader-board.

They are one shot ahead of the experienced Neha Tripathi (72) while Saaniya Sharma (73) was fourth on the par-70 BPGC course.

Trimann Saluja and Siddhi Kapoor shared fifth place on 74s each, while amateur Pranavi Urs, runner-up in Pune last week, had a disappointing front nine with a triple bogey and two bogeys as she returned a 75.

Pranavi, Shriya Vivek and Ishvari Prasanna were tied for seventh, while Afshan Fatima and Oviya Reddi were T10 on 6-over 76s.

Uneven round

Tvesa started well, picking up a shot early and playing steady golf till she came to the eighth hole where she gave back the shot.

A birdie immediately thereafter helped Tvesa make the turn one under but she slipped up on the back nine with two bogeys between the 12^th and 15^th holes. She then swapped birdie for bogey to close out a 1-over round for the day.

Playing five groups behind Tvesa, Ananya was two-over after 17 but a closing birdie gave her a share of the lead.

Neha Tripathi, who has not won since the first leg in 2019, had two birdies against four bogeys in her round of 72.

Winner of the 2019 Hero Order of Merit, Gaurika Bishnoi had another disappointing start as he dropped three shots in the first three holes, including an opening double bogey.

Another double meant she made the turn in 4-over 39, and four further dropped shots gave her a card of 8-over 78.

Round 2 tee times and scores

8:30 am : Anisha Agarwalla 83; Smriti Mehra 81; Gursimar Badwal 80;

8:40 am : Mehar Atwal 79; Suchitra Ramesh 79; Khushi Khanijau 79;

8:50 am : Geetika Ahuja 78; Gurjot Badwal 78; Sonam Chugh 78;

9 am : Jyotsana Singh 78; Gaurika Bishnoi 78; Ivana Shah (A) 77;

9:10 am : Anousha Tripathi 77; Afshan Fatima 76; Oviya Reddi 76;

9:20 am : Ishvari Prasanna 75; Shriya Vivek 75; Pranavi Urs (A) 75;

9:30 am : Siddhi Kapoor 74; Trimann Saluja 74; Saaniya Sharma 73;

9:40 am : Neha Tripathi 72; Ananya Datar 71; Tvesa Malik 71;

Also read: Dramatic final day hands Ridhima first win of 2020 as Pravavi misses out