Hitaashee Bakshi takes a one-shot lead in DLF leg of Hero WPGT

File photo of Hitaashee Bakshi who held a one-shot lead in difficult conditions after the opening day of the Hero WPGT’s DLF leg. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji 

Hitaashee Bakshi fired a brilliant front nine that helped her overcome a mid-round lapse and gave her a one-shot lead in the 12^th Leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the DLF Golf & Country Club on Wednesday.

Order of Merit leader Hitaashee shot a 2-under 70 and was followed on 71s from amateur Lavanya Gupta and Vidhatri Urs, the WGAI said.

The leading three all had a double bogey each on a day the rain unsettled the players and made scoring difficult with only five shooting par or better.

The experienced Vani Kapoor and amateur Keerthana Rajeev were tied for fourth place on level par 72.

Playing on her home course, Hitaashee birdied holes 2, 5, 6 and 9 to turn in 4-under 32.

On the back nine she was hit by a double bogey on 10 and bogey on 11, but she stabilised with a series of pars before a late birdie on 16 for a day’s card of 70.

Lavanya had five birdies against two bogeys and a double bogey while Vidhatri – with three wins on the trot before this event – also had five birdies against two bogeys and a double.

Steady golf

Vani had birdies on holes 1 and 5 and bogeys on 6 and 10 and parred the rest for her 72.

Keerthana was going well at 3-under through seven holes but a double bogey pulled her back.

She recovered with birdies on 10 and 11 but once again from 3-under, she dropped a further three shots to slip back to level par.

Sneha Singh, Gaurika Bishnoi, Kriti Chowhan and amateur Janneya Dasannjee were tied for sixth on 1 over 73. Shweta Mansingh and Anvvi Dahhiya were tied for 10^th place on 3 over 75.

Some big names had a rough ride on the opening day as Amandeep Drall (77) was T14, Astha Madan (79) was T20 and Neha Tripathi (83) was 32^nd.

Scores and round 2 tee times

7:30 am: Rhea Purvi S. 87, Karishma Govind 86

7:40 am: Riya Yadav 85, Oviya Reddi 85, Ananya Garg 84

7:50 am: Millie Saroha 84, Neha Tripathi 83, Chitrangada Singh 82

8 am: Snigdha Goswami 81, Anvitha Narender 81, Geetika Ahuja 81

8:10 am: Keya K. Badugu (A) 80, Mannat Brar (A) 80, Khushi Khanijau 80

8:25 am: Sachika Singh 79, Astha Madan 79, Ravjot K. Dosanjh 79

8:35 am: Yashita Raghav 79, Anuradha Chaudhuri (A) 79, Agrima Manral 78

8:45 am: Shagun Narain 78, Yaalisai Verma 78, Gourabi Bhowmick 77

8:55 am: Rhea Jha 77, Amandeep Drall 77, Ananyaa Sood (A) 76

9:10 am: Kashika Misra (A) 76, Anvvi Dahhiya (A) 75, Shweta Mansingh 75

9:20 am: Sneha Singh 73., Gaurika Bishnoi 73,  Janneya Dasanniee 73

9:30 am: Kriti Chowhan 73, Keerthana Rajeev (A) 72, Vani Kapoor 72

9:40 am: Vidhatri Urs 71, Lavanya Gupta (A) 71, Hitaashee Bakshi 70

Also read: Vidhatri seeks to extend winning run at DLF leg of Hero WPGT