Powerhouse finish sees Sneha Singh home in Vizag WPGT leg

By Rahul Banerji

Former national women’s champion Sneha Singh scorched the East Point Golf Club turf for a winning finish in the second leg of the Hero WPGT in Vizag on Friday.

Sneha ensured she would figure in the winner’s list for the fourth year in a row with a fiery back nine that included a first-ever albatross (double eagle) recorded on the women’s pro tour.

Trailing overnight leader Jahanvi Bakshi by two shots, Sneha fell back early with a bogey-bogey start.

Jahanvi further increased the gap to five shots when she birdied the second hole.

Yet, by the end, it was Sneha who emerged winner by three shots with a 7-under 29 on the back nine of the par 72 layout.

The nine-hole run included four birdies and the albatross as Sneha holed her wedge shot from just over 120 yards on the par-5 14^th.

Storming run

Sneha ended on 10-under 206, and Jahanvi, a four-time winner in 2021, was second on 7-under 209.

Ridhima Dilawari (72) was third on 2-under 214.

While Sneha took the trophy, Jahanvi picked up the winner’s cheque as the top professional.

With Jahanvi dropping shots on two par 5s and managing only two birdies on the home stretch, she ended with a 71 for her third successive under par round.

However, Sneha, who had brought down the deficit to four when the leaders took the turn, was in sizzling form.

After birdies on 10 and 13, the albatross on 14 put her back into contention.

Further birdies on 15 and 17 then made sure of Sneha’s first win of 2022 and her fourth on the Hero WPGT while still an amateur.

It was among the finest nine-hole runs in Indian women’s golf and gave

Sneha at least one win each year since 2019.

The Hyderabad-based amateur, who started playing at the RCGC before she was four, is coached by her father, Sanjay Singh, a Class A certified golf teaching professional and a former professional golfer.

Apart from her pro wins, she has won both the All India Juniors and the All India Ladies Amateur Golf Championship.

Quality golf

With both the winner and runner-up shooting all three rounds under par and the first four players carding par or better totals, it underlined the quality of golf on the Hero WPGT.

Overall, there were 13 sub-par rounds and another six were at par.

Gaurika Bishnoi (72) was fourth on level par 216, while Rhea Purvi Saravanan (76) was fifth. Seher Atwal (73) was sixth.

Pranavi Urs, winner of the first leg, finally got an under par round this week with a 71.

Nayanika Sanga (74) and Neha Tripathi (78) were tied seventh as Neha went 10 shots heavier than her second round 68.

Amateur Vidhatri Urs and Hitaashee Bakshi were tied tenth.

Jahanvi overtook Pranavi on the Hero Order of Merit while Gaurika Bishnoi is third after the opening two events.

Also read: Jahanvi turns up heat on back nine to retain lead in Vizag event