Hat-trick hunter Vidhatri Urs opens three-shot lead at DGC

With two titles already under her belt in July, Vidhatri Urs is gunning for a third straight win on the Hero WPGT. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji

Vidhatri Urs began her quest for a hat-trick of wins on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour with a 5 under par 67 in the first round of Leg 11 at the Delhi Golf Club on Wednesday.

The Mysore golfer, who won the previous two legs in July, showed that her form had not slipped in the six-week summer gap, the WGAI said.

Vidhatri was in fact 6 under before she dropped a shot on the 18th for a 67, as she led Hitaashee Bakshi (70) by three shots.

Tvesa Malik Sandhu, who had the only eagle of the day, was 1 under 71 for the third under-par score of the day.

With a field of 46, the depth in women’s domestic golf was on full display at the Hero WPGT event as four players shot par or better and another three were one-over in the challenging conditions.

It all augurs well for the home challenge that will be keen to make a big move at next month’s Hero Women’s Indian Open.

Late stumble

Shweta Mansingh was unlucky to drop a double bogey on hole 18 but still brought in a level par card suggesting she is ready to make a move for a top placing.

Sneha Singh, Seher Atwal and amateur Keya Badagu shot 1 over 73s to be tied fifth, while another amateur Anvvi Dahhiya and the experienced Amandeep Drall carded 74s for tied eighth.

Vidhatri opened with a birdie, added a second on hole 8 to turn in 2-under 34. On the back nine at the iconic DGC, she birdied holes 12, 14, 16, and 17 to get to 6 under before her only blemish of the day for a solid card.

Hitaashee had four birdies, three on the front nine and another on the back stretch against two dropped shots.

Tvesa, keen to hit form ahead of the Indian Open, had an eagle, two birdies and two bogeys in an eventful front nine of 34. She bogeyed 10 and parred the rest for a 71.

Shweta had four birdies, two bogeys and a closing double for a 72.

Amateur Kashika Misra, Kriti Chowhan, Oviya Reddi and Agrima Manral shot 75s to share 10^th place. Mannat Brar (A), Ridhima Dilawari and Neha Tripathi carded 77 for T22 while amateur Zara Anand had a 78.

Scores and round 2 tee times

7:50 am: Ishvari Prasanna 86, Nayanika Sanga 84, Shagun Narain 84

8 am: Chitrangada Singh 82, Snigdha Goswami 81, Gourabi Bhowmick 81

8:10 am: Vrinda Yadav 81, Astha Madan 81, Yashita Raghav 81

8:20 am: Rhea Jha 80, Keerthana Rajeev (A) 79, Khushi Khanijau 78

8:35 am: Ananya Garg 78, Jahaanvie Walia 78, Zara Anand (A) 78

8:45 am: Neha Tripathi 77, Karishma Govind 77, Ravjot K. Dosanjh 77

8:55 am: Ridhima Dilawari 77, Mannat Brar (A) 77, Anahita Singh 77

9:05 am: Ananyaa Sood (A) 76. Yogya Bhalla (A) 76. Riya Yadav 76

9:20 am: Anvitha Narender 76. Gauri Karhade 76, Janneya Dasanniee (A) 76

9:30 am: Jasmine Shekar 76, Gursimar Badwal 76. Agrima Manral 75

9:40 am: Oviya Reddi 75, Kriti Chowhan 75, Kashika Misra (A) 75

9:50 am: Amandeep Drall 74. Anvvi Dahhiya (A) 74, Keya K. Badugu (A) 73

10:05 am: Sneha Singh 73, Seher Atwal 73, Shweta Mansingh (72)

10:15 am: Tvesa Malik (71) Hitaashee Bakshi (70), Vidhatri Urs (67)

Also read: Strong field set to challenge WPGT Order of Merit leaders at DGC