Hitaashee settles an old score with Sneha at BPGC pro event

By Rahul Banerji

In December of 2019, Hitaashee Bakshi and Sneha Singh were involved in a hard-fought final of the 103^rd All India Ladies Amateur Championship with the latter just managing to prevail.

It was one of the closest deciders in the history of the championship and Sneha edged Hitaashee 1-up over 36 holes. The venue then, the Bombay Presidency Golf Club.

On Friday, Hitaashee, now a professional got some of her own back beating her long-time rival from Hyderabad in another close contest.

The venue, the Bombay Presidency Golf Club once again.

This time — as 18-year-olds — it was the final day of the third leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour and Hitaashee got the better of Sneha by three shots. 

Tied on 3-under for the week with three holes to go, Hitaashee birdied twice, while Sneha bogeyed the 18th. In a matter of three holes, the DLF trainee had a comfortable win.

Hitaashee (5-under 205) who last won in 2020 shot 69 on the final day, while Sneha, looking for back-to-back titles after Vizag, ended with 72 to aggregate 2-under 208.

Gaurika Bishnoi carded one of the only two sub-par scores on the final day, a 1-under 69 to finish third on 1-under 209.

Pranavi Urs (72) and Amandeep Drall (73) were tied for fourth on 1-over 211s. Jahanvi Bakshi, the top pro last week, shot 71 and was sixth.

Seher Atwal began the week with a superb 3-under 67 and then had 78-70 to tie for seventh, while Ridhima Dilawari (72) was ninth and amateur Avani Prashanth (71) tenth.

Long wait

Hitaashee, who played in the shadow of her sister Jahanvi the whole of last year as the latter won four times, finally pencilled in a W.

Three successive sub-par rounds of 67-69-69 saw her turn in a steady performance.

Starting the final day in the group alongside Sneha, Hitaashee began with a bogey.

When Sneha birdied the second, she was two ahead after starting as co-leaders. Sneha further birdied five and six to go four shots up.

However, bogeys on eight and nine opened the door for Hitaashee once again as the gap narrowed to just two.

Fortunes swung even more on the back nine.

Hitaashee birdied 10 and reduced the gap to one. When Sneha bogeyed 12, it gave her opponent the lead by one.

The twists continued as Hitaashee bogeyed 14 to allow Sneha level scores once again.

The final act came when Hitaashee birdied 16 and 18 while Sneha bogeyed 18. The gap at the end was a handsome three shots for Hitaashee.

Jahanvi finished sixth but stayed on top of the Hero Order of Merit, with Pranavi Urs second and Gaurika Bishnoi third.

Hitaashee moves up to fourth place.

Also read: Sneha Singh in line for back-to-back wins with BPGC co-lead