Avani Prashanth finishes T11at Australian Amateur C’ship

By Rahul Banerji

Former two-time national champion Avani Prashanth capped her run in the Australian Amateur Championship with a level-par 73 at Yarra Yarra Golf Club in Melbourne to take a share of 11th place in the prestigious tournament.

The reigning Queen Sirikit Cup champion had finished runner-up in the Australian Master of the Amateurs event last week, the WGAI said.

Avani said later, “I had two good weeks in Australia and have improved my finish and my scoring. I think my ability to bounce back from adversity has become much better.

“I was five over, with two double bogeys yesterday after nine holes and finished two over. Today birdies deserted me on the back nine, otherwise I should have finished better than I did.

“The conditions this week were very tough, with rain, 60 kmph winds, temperature at 10 degrees and then a lot of heat, all on the same day, every day of the tournament. I have experienced wind before but nothing like this even in Carnoustie.

Variable conditions

“We don’t experience such winds and therefore judgment becomes very difficult as the ball was moving 40-50 yards in the wind,” she added.

Avani opened with a birdie and parred the next three holes before stumbling to a double bogey on the fifth. She dropped another shot on eight before making amends with a birdie on the very next hole.

She then birdied on 13 besides making eight pars on the back nine to reach her four-day tally of three-over 295.

Japan’s Mamika Shinchi emerged winner by a two-stroke margin with an overall tally of 10-under 282. Local hope Amelia Harris had to settle for a runner-up finish two shots behind.

On the men’s side, Varun Muthappa ended tied 77th after a disappointing six-over 76 at Yarra Yarra course for a 72-hole tally of 18-over 300.

Avani had maintained her momentum to stay inside the top-10 at the halfway stage in Melbourne with a 2 over 75 even as Heena Kang missed the cut after posting a disastrous seven-over 80 at the same venue.

At that stage, Avani was five strokes behind joint leaders Amelia Harris and Japan’s Aina Fujimoto. While Amelia posted a one-under 72 at Keysborough Golf Club with three birdies and two bogeys, Aina soared on an eagle ninth and three birdies for matching totals of 4-under 142 at Yarra Yarra.

Muthappa was the only one to make the cut on the men’s side with a 1 over 73 for an overall tally of 5-over 147 at the Keysborough course.

Varun began with a brilliant eagle on the first hole and back-to-back birdies on the fourth and fifth holes. However, a bogey on 15 and double bogeys on six and 16 pushed him back.

Sandeep Yadav (seven-over 149) and Rohit Narwal (11-over 153) missed the weekend rounds.

Also read: Avani Prashanth finishes second at Australian Master of Amateurs