By Rahul Banerji
Jahanvi Bakshi played a strong back nine with four birdies against no bogeys to keep a two-shot lead in the second leg of the Hero WPGT at East Point Golf Club in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
Giving Jahanvi chase was amateur Sneha Singh (70-70), two shots behind and lying third on 141 were Neha Tripathi (73-68) and Rhea Purvi Saravanan (72-69).
Ridhima Dilawari, second after the first round, slipped to fifth with a 73, and was joined by Gaurika Bishnoi with a 68, the day’s best card with Neha.
Jahanvi, who shot 68 and led the field by one at the end of the first round, lost the early advantage with bogeys on third and ninth, as she turned in two-over.
As Sneha Singh turned in one-under to take the lead, Ridhima who was one-over after the front nine, also caught up with Jahanvi.
On a roll
On the back nine, Jahanvi , the most successful player on the domestic circuit in 2021, sank birdies on 11, 12, 14 and 17 for a 70 to take the lead.
Winner of four titles last year, Jahanvi could well open her account for 2022 on Friday.
After back-to-back birdies on second and third, Sneha dropped a shot on eight, but got back a shot on 15 for her second straight 70.
Neha Tripathi, who last won in the first leg of the 2019 season in Pune, birdied two and seven and in between dropped a shot.
She picked three shots on the back nine on 10, 13 and 15 to finish the day on 68 and jump to third, after being tied eighth after the first day.
With the top 18 and ties making the cut for the final round, 21 players made the money round.
The cut fell at 11-over. Two established names missing out were Saaniya Sharma and Suchitra Ramesh.
Round 3 tee times and scores
Tee 1
8 am: Lakhmehar Pardesi150; Pranavi Urs 148; Vidhatri Urs (A) 148
8:10 am: Hitaashee Bakshi 147; Seher Atwal 145; Nayanika Sanga 145
8:20 am: Gaurika Bishnoi 144; Ridhima Dilawari 142; Rhea Purvi S. 141
8:30 am: Neha Tripathi 141; Sneha Singh (A) 140; Jahanvi Bakshi 138
Tee 10
8:05 am: Shweta Mansingh 150; Jyotsana Singh 152; Oviya Reddi 153
8:15 am: Ishvari Prasanna 154; Khushi Khanijau 154; Asmitha Sathish 155
8:25 am: Saanvi Somu (A) 155; Mehar Atwal 155; Trimann Saluja 155
Also read: Jahanvi Bakshi into early lead at Vizag leg of Hero WPGT
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