By Rahul Banerji
Ridhia Dilawari delivered a final round of 3-under par 69 to seal a berth on the China LPGA Tour for the year on the The Dunes layout at the Shenzhou Golf Club West Course in Wanning, China, on Saturday.
Ridhima, winner of six domestic professional tour titles at home – five from 12 starts last year and the opening event of the new season – finished seventh in a packed field.
The Indian star had round of 72, 67, 73 before she brought it home with an eye-catching 69. She becomes the second Indian on the CLPGA after Sharmila Nicollet.
Shanghai amateur Yin Ruoning topped the field by one stroke at Wanning. She had a closing round of level-par 72 for a 72-hole score of 11-under 277 to earn one of the 30 full-time playing cards on offer for the new CLPGA Tour season.
More joy
In further good news for Indian women’s golf, Amandeep Drall and Sharmila Nicollet stood one step shy of sealing their cards on the Ladies European Tour at the Real Golf La Manga Club North Course in La Manga, Spain on Saturday.
While Amandeep was tied 38th with rounds of 78, 73, 78 and a four-under par 68 for a 9-over 297 aggregate, Sharmila was on the bubble on 13-over 301 (73-80-70-78) in tied 58th with five others to enter the Final Qualifying Stage.
Alison Muirhead of Scotland with a 10-under aggregate 278 was a handuy winner, four shots ahead of Becky Brewerton (Wales).
In China, overnight leader Kultida Pramphun (74) of Thailand struggled but finished joint runner-up with Japan’s Natsumi Nakanishi (69) and Riri Sadoyama (70), the CLPA website noted.
Former US LPGA Tour regular Patcharajutar Kongkraphan (70) of Thailand was equal fifth with Japanese Mana Shinozaki (73) ahead of Ridhima who was four strokes shy of the duo ahead of her.
“I am glad to be the leader of the CLPGA Qualifying Tournament, but I am not so satisfied with my game today because I should have been better if I didn’t make those three bogeys,” said Yin, who helped China to the team bronze at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.
“In 2020, I hope to win on the CLPGA Tour. Maybe I will turn pro after the 2020 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and Blue Bay Masters but not now.”
The following players earn their full playing card for the 2020 CLPGA Tour season:
Top scores
277 – Yin Yuoning (A) 71-67-67-72
278 – Natsumi Nakanishi (JPN) 72-70-67-69, Riri Sadoyama (JPN) 69-65-74-70, Kultida Pramphun (THA) 66-70-68-74
280 – Patcharajutar Kongkraphan (THA) 68-71-71-70, Mana Shinozaki (JPN) 67-71-69-73
281 – Ridhima Dilawari (IND) 72-67-73-69
283 – Nontaya Srisawang (THA) 71-71-67-74, Arpichaya Yubol (THA) 72-69-68-74
284 – Ririka Kanehara (JPN) 70-70-73-71, Momoko Uete (JPN) 71-69-72-72
285 – Jo Ye-jin (KOR) 73-71-72-69, Rui Hiraoka (JPN) 68-74-72-71
Also read: Ridhima carries top form over into new season’s opener in Pune
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