Afshan takes two-shot lead at Hero WPGT Panchkula event

By Rahul Banerji

Afshan Fatima showed signs of a return to form with the day’s only sub-par score of 2-under 70 in the first round of the Hero women’s pro golf event in Panchkula on Wednesday.

Jaipur’s Afshan held a two-shot lead over the field in the 14^th leg opener at the Panchkula Golf Club.

Twice runner-up in 2019 and once in 2018, Afshan has not won since the 13^th leg of the 2018 season, was on top of the leader board after a very long time.

Afshan, 26, bogeyed the second hole itself but fought back with three birdies before the turn and then another on the back nine to go 3-under for the day.

She would drop a shot late to finished on two-under 70 at the Haryana course.

Gaurika Bishnoi, winner of the weather-hit 13^th leg followed by a  top-10 finish at the Hero Women’s Indian Open, overcame a bogey-bogey start with a string of pars till the 12^th hole.

She birdied 13 and then closed with another one on 18 to ensure she finished on level par 72.

As many as six players were tied for third place on one-over 73.

Late slip

Shweta Mansingh suffered a crippling triple bogey on her back nine after a bogey start. She also had three birdies.

Ridhima Dilawari dropped two late shots after being 1-under till then to also end on a 73.

Seher Atwal had one birdie on the front nine and two bogeys on the back nine, while Saaniya Sharma was hit by three bogeys in a row against four birdies, three of them in the last five holes.

Overall she had four birdies against five bogeys.

Khushi Khanijau had two birdies against one bogey and one double, while amateur Vidhatri Urs had two birdies against three bogeys.

Neha Tripathi, Agrima Manral and Asmitha Sathish shot two-over 74s each.

The disappointment of the day was Sneha Singh, who carded a six-over 78 while another pre-tournament favourite Hitaashee Bakshi was four-over 76.

Scores and round 2 tee times

8:30 am: Ishvari Prasanna 82, Anaggha Venkatesh 81

8:40 am: Karishma Govind 81; Jyotsana Singh 80

8:50 am: Shagun Narain 80; Anisha Agarwalla 80; Ananya Datar 79

9 am: Lakhmehar Pardesi 79; Riya Yadav 79; Heena Kang (A) 79

9:15 am: Geetika Ahuja 78; Rhea Purvi Saravanan 78; Siddhi Kapoor 78

9:25 am: Millie Saroha 78; Sneha Singh 78; Hitaashee Bakshi 76

9:35 am: Rhea Jha 76; Ragini Navet (A) 76; Jia Kataria (A) 76

9:45 am: Lavanya Jadon (A) 76; Neha Tripathi 75; Asmitha Sathish 75

10 am: Agrima Manral 75; Khushi Khanijau 73; Saaniya Sharma 73

10:10 am: Seher Atwal 73; Ridhima Dilawari 73; Vidhatri Urs (A) 73

10:20 am: Shweta Mansingh 73; Gaurika Bishnoi 72; Afshan Fatima 70

Also read: Gaurika Bishnoi carries solid HWIO form into Panchkula event