Mahreen best among Indians at rain-hit Singapore Ladies Masters

Indian amateur Mahreen Bhatia plays a shot on the opening day of the Singapore Ladies Masters at the Laguna Golf Resort on Friday.

By Rahul Banerji

India’s 16-year-old amateur Mahreen Bhatia got off to a good start on a weather-interrupted day at the $100,000 Singapore Ladies Masters on Friday.

A US Kids Golf European and World Championship medallist, Mahreen was 1 under par after nine holes and shared 10^th place at the event sanctioned by the China Ladies Professional Golf Association (CLPGA),

The other two Indians in the field, Seher Atwal and Hitaashee Bakshi, had a tougher day. While Seher was 1 over after six holes and Hitaashee was 2 over after the eighth.

China’s Cai Danlin held the clubhouse lead with a a flying 5 under par 67 while Chinese amateur Ruolin Song second on 4 under 68 for the round. Thailand’s Kan Bunnabodee was a further shot back after signing for a 69 at the challenging Laguna Golf Resort.

Only half the field had finished as almost four hours of play was lost on account of a threat of lightning and fading light later. Those with incomplete first rounds will resume early on Saturday.

Tough spot

Mahreen, starting from the tenth, began with a bogey but got the shot back with birdie on the second.

“I was sitting on a difficult par putt when play was stopped,” said Mahreen. When play resumed four hours later, she sank the par putt.

A 12-foot birdie putt on 13, her fourth hole, was neutralised by a bogey on the par-4 16^th. Just before play was called off for the day, she dropped a crucial birdie putt on 18 to go 1-under.

“It was a great experience at this big stage,” added Mahreen. “It is going to be a long day tomorrow with possibly 27 holes.”

The 21-year-old Cai, a Shenzhen University undergraduate, mixed seven birdies against two bogeys to set the early pace. The Singapore Ladies Masters features 132 players from 14 countries.

Also read: Hitaashee upbeat ahead of Singapore Ladies Masters start