Gaganjeet Bhullar going well at DDF Irish Open

By Rahul Banerji 

Gaganjeet Bhullar was sitting mid-pack with a 2-under card after 15 holes at the picturesque Lahinch Golf Course in Ireland in the $7 million Dubai Duty Free Irish Open three shots behind a five-man group atop the leader-board on Thursday.

Bhullar, currently India’s highest ranked professional golfer at 179^th in the world rankings, had three birdies against one dropped shot even as Malaysia’s Gavin Green was the best-placed Asian on 4-under 66 alongside the likes of Martin Kaymer, and local hero Shane Lowry.

Shubhankar Sharma, who had just started his round on Thursday was level par after two holes while S.S.P. Chawrasia was back in the clubhouse with a 2-over 72 first day card.

The DDF Irish Open is the second event of the Rolex Series after the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship that was won by Lowry back in January.

Follow the Irish Open action here Leaderboard

Ridhima opens four-shot lead

Meanwhile, Ridhima Dilawari took a healthy step towards her third title of the season with a four-shot lead going into the final round of the ninth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in Bangalore.

Playing at the Prestige Golfshire layout in continuing strong winds, Ridhima had three birdies against two bogeys to bring in the first under par round of the week.

Closest to Ridhima (74,71) are Neha Tripathi (77,72) and Afshan Fatima (74,75), while Khushi Khanijau (76-74) is lying fourth and Astha Madan (78-73) a shot further behind.

Gaurika Bishnoi (75-77), who has not found her rhythm this week and Siddhi Kapoor (78-77) are sixth and seventh.

First round leader Amandeep Drall slipped down the order with an 84 for tied eighth place alongside Millie Saroha, while Smriti Mehra (81,76) and amateur Sneha Sharan (81-76) completed the Top-10.

Solid start

Ridhima, who has so far won the fourth and sixth legs of the season, had five pars on the run before dropping her first shot but got it back before making the turn.

Three more pars followed on the back nine before she had back-to-back birdies. Ridhima immediately surrendered these gains with two bogeys before a superb tee shot on the penultimate hole set up another birdie and she finished with a par.

Neha played steady golf and after a bogey and birdie before making the turn had pars all the way through for a 72, only the second level par round of the tournament.

Afshan Fatima had four birdies, three bogeys and two doubles in her three-over 75 and shares the second place with Neha.

Final round tee times

8 am: Oviya Reddi 171, Sonam Chugh 167;

8:10 am: Ananya Barthakur (A) 166, Ayesha Kapur 166, Gauri Karhade 166; 

8:20 am: Tanirika Singh 165, Ananya Datar 164, Anousha Tripathi 164;

8:30 am: Jyotsana Singh 163, Rhea P. Saravanan (A) 162, Suchitra Ramesh 161;

8:40 am: Mehar Atwal 161, Shriya Vivek 160, Ishvari Prasanna 159;

8:50 am: Gursimar Badwal 158, Sneha Sharan (A) 157, Smriti Mehra 157;

9:00 am: Amandeep Drall 156, Millie Saroha 156, Siddhi Kapoor 155;

9:10 am: Gaurika Bishnoi 152, Astha Madan 151, Khushi Khanijau 150;

9:20 am: Afshan Fatima 149, Neha Tripathi 149, Ridhima Dilawari 145;

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