By Rahul Banerji
Jahanvi Bakshi’s brought in the day’s only sub-par round for a four-shot lead over sister Hitaashee at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon on Thursday.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Nishtha Madan let slip the advantage on the final day of the Dallas Cup series in the Cactus Tour in Arizona.
Sitting on a three-shot lead, Nishtha returned a 5-over 77 as Allison Emray, third overnight, brought in a 3-under 69 to take the winner’s cheque.
Nishtha dropped a shot early but it was the par-3 sixth that sank her hopes as she took eight shots to finish.
That proved to be too much of a burden and though the 22-year-old had two birdies on the back nine, the five-shot swing completely disrupted her momentum.
Germany’s Sophie Hausmann was also in the wars and slipped to T12 from second on the leader-board with an 84 as both she and Nishtha struggled in the final group.
Nishtha had rounds of 66, 71 and 77 to her name as Allison made the most of the opportunity and had one of just two sub-par cards on the day,
Comfort level
In Gurgaon, the elder Bakshi sibling’s comfort with the venue was evident in the second round of the fifth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour.
Jahanvi, who is still searching for her maiden Tour win, shot a 3-under 69 after a first round 71 for a 4-under 140 total.
It gave her a four-shot advantage over younger sister Hitaashee (71-73) with a round to go.
It is the first time a pair of sisters are occupying the top two spots in a Hero WPGT event.
Some of the others on the Tour include the Atwals, Mehar and Seher, and the Badwals, Gursimar and Gurjot.
Vani Kapoor shot 73 after a first round 74 to lie third, three shots behind Hitaashee.
Tvesa Malik, who began with a 71 slipped to 77 that included a triple and a double bogey. She is fourth with amateur Avani Prashanth (72-76).
Jahanvi, whose final round at the same course in the eighth leg of the Hero WPGT 2020 was a 69, got a third straight sub-par round on the Gary Player layout.
In the first round, she was five-under through 12 holes before a triple and a bogey pushed her back to 1-under 71.
In the second round, Jahanvi sank three birdies in her first nine holes.
A further birdie made it 4-under, but she dropped a shot on the penultimate hole and closed with par for a 69.
Jahanvi said, “The last time I played here in the eighth leg, I shot 3-under so I knew it was possible.
“I tried to stay clear of the errors of yesterday. Last year was a rookie season for both of us and Hitaashee won leg nine, so she inspired me.
“She is the youngest, so if she could I knew I could also win.”
The sisters often play together in practice but this time it will be for a professional title.
Breakthrough
Hitaashee broke through with a win late in 2020. In the second round, Hitaashee, who started T2, had one birdie against two dropped shots.
Avani battled hard despite a rough patch, when she had a bogey-double bogey-double bogey run between the third and fifth holes.
She though made amends with four birdies overall in her 76. With her first round 72, she is 4-over 148 and tied-fourth alongside Tvesa.
Lakhmehar Pardesi (76-75) is sixth and Order of Merit leader Amandeep Drall (79-74) seventh.
Jyotsana Singh, Shagun Narain, amateur Vidhatri Urs and Oviya Reddi share eighth place.
Overnight leader Saaniya Sharma went from 70 on day one to 89 on the second for a 19-shot swing and dropped to T16.
Scores and round 3 tee times
8 am: Diksha Dagar 168; Disha Kavery 167
8:10 am: Ishvari Prasanna 166; Anisha Agarwalla 166
8:20 am: Rhea Jha 165; Trimann Saluja 165; Astha Madan 164
8:30 am: Ananya Datar 164; Gauri Karhade 163; Rishika Muralidhar (A) 163
8:45 am: Neha Tripathi 162; Geetika Ahuja 162; Nishna Patel (A) 162
8:55 am: Gaurika Bishnoi 160; Saaniya Sharma 159; Khushi Khanijau 159
9:05 am: Shweta Mansingh 158; Riya Yadav (A) 157; Durga Nittur 157
9:15 am: Hunar Mittal (A) 156; Oviya Reddi 155; Vidhatri Urs (A) 155
9:30 am: Shagun Narain 155; Jyotsana Singh 155; Amandeep Drall 153
9:40 am: Lakhmehar Pardesi 151; Tvesa Malik 148; Avani Prashanth (A) 148
9:50 am: Vani Kapoor 147; Hitaashee Bakshi 144; Jahanvi Bakshi 140
Also read: Nishtha leads Dallas Cup for 2nd straight day; Saaniya finds form
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