Gursimar out to keep form going in third leg of Hero WPG Tour

By Rahul Banerji

Fresh from her second leg victory, Gursimar Badwal will want to continue the momentum she has picked up in the third leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Kensville Golf and Country Club in Ahmedabad from Tuesday.

The consistent Gursimar, however, faces a stiff test from the likes of Amandeep Drall, who was the runner-up in the second leg, Neha Tripathi, winner of the first leg, and Tvesa Malik, winner of the Hero Order of Merit in 2018.

The Ahmedabad event, which carries a purse of Rs. 8 lakh will also feature Gaurika Bishnoi and Afshan Fatima, two talented players who are yet to really make a mark so far in the early season.

Early groupings

Sifat Alag, Sonam Chugh and Ayesha Kapur will go in out in the first group, while Khushi Khanijau, Mehar Atwal and Amandeep Drall are in the second group followed by Afshan Fatima, Gaurika and Komal Chaudhary.

Jyotsna Singh, Anousha Tripathi and Tvesa are in the fourth flight, followed by Smriti Mehra, Gursimar and Siddhi Kapoor. Ishavari Prasanna, Dolma Rawat and Neha are in the penultimate lot with Lavanya Tatiwala, Hita Prakash and Anisha Padukone form the final set.

Vani earns Australia LPGA card

Meanwhile, over the weekend, Vani Kapoor became the first Indian to earn a card for the Australian Ladies PGA Tour after coming through their first-ever qualifying tournament at the Ballarat Golf Club.

Vani shot rounds of 71, 78 and 69 to finish at two-over 218 for a tied 12th finish alongside three other players.

The top 20 from a field of 81 earned playing rights on the Australian LPGA but there were other benefits and places available, too.

Other Indians in the ALPG Qualifying were Diksha Dagar, tied 30th with rounds of 79-73-72; Astha Madan, who was tied 37th with cards of 75-78-73 and Ridhima Dilawari, tied-57th with 76-79-76. There was good news for Diksha however, with the Indian Golf Union announcing on Monday that she had been handed a place in the SPS Handa Vic Open.

Opportunities available

Despite not making the card, Diksha, Astha and Ridhima could get into some ALPG events, like the Ballarat Icons ALPG Pro-Am, where Diksha and Astha will get a start in the two-day event over the weekend alongside Vani.

In a closely fought qualifying tournament, Tsai Peiying of Taiwan emerged winner with a final round of 1-under par 71 to finish at 9-under par that gave her a five-shot victory over American Cheyenne Knight and Australian Tamie Durdin.

With her ALPG rights secure, Vani also came through a play-off to decide the final spot for the Vic Open, which is co-sanctioned by the Australian LPGA and the US LPGA. Vani won the spot on the third play-off hole with a clutch five-foot putt. The Vic Open will thus be Vani’s LPGA debut and she will have Diksha for company.

Her finish also ensures Vani starts in three Ladies European Tour events to be played in Australia in February-March. 

The top 15 not otherwise exempt gained exemptions into the Australian Ladies Classic Bonville (February 21 to 24), the ActewAGL Canberra Classic (March 1 to 3) and the Women’s NSW Open (March 7 to 10), all co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour.

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