By Rahul Banerji
Mahreen Bhatia, Kartik Singh and Lavanya Gupta came away with podium finishes from the US Kids World Teens Championships at Pinehurst, North Carolina, on Saturday.
Mahreen finished strongly with three birdies in the last four holes to take a gallant second place in the Girls 14 event despite dropping a shot in the middle of the streak.
The runner-up placing this week follows up on the second place she claimed at the European US Kids Golf Championships in May.
Three bogies on her way back to the clubhouse at the Pinehurst No. 6 course, proved costly for the talented Indian teen. Mahreen had scores of 69-69-72 for a 6-under 210 for second place behind Maria Isabella Errichetto of the US, who shot a 71 in the final round.
There were other good results, too, for the Indian contingent.
In the Boys 13, Kartik Singh (69-71-69) totalled 7-under 209 to finish third behind Thailand’s Ajalawich Anantasethakul (65-71-69, 11-under 207) and America’s Rory Asselta (67-71-69).
Lavanya Gupta competing in the Girls 15-18 made a great run on the final day, including five birdies on the front nine, three of them in a row before a closing bogey cost her a better placing.
Day’s best
Fifth after the second round, Lavanya shot the day’s equal best of 68 along with Olivia Hasselbach, whose last hole birdie and the Indian’s 18th hole bogey made for a swing of two shots, the winning margin for the American from Tampa, Florida.
Colombian Laura Sofia Espinosa Gonzalez (73-68-71) at 212 was second, one shot behind winner, Olivia, and one ahead of Lavanya.
Mahreen, Kartik and Lavanya are all DLF Golf Academy students, making it a day to remember for the establishment that has become a production line for golf achievers.
Of other Indians at Pinehurst, Vihaan Jain (76-74-72) improved on the final day in the Boys 13 to finish T30, up nine places from the second round. Also in the Boys 13, Arshvant Srivastava, who had a rough week shot 78 and ended T72.
In the Boys 14, Ranveer Mitroo (74-73-74) was tied-12th, while Udai Aditya Middha (74-80-75) improved 12 places to finish T34 and Tejas Mishra (76-76-79) slipped to T45, down 13 places.
Among the Boys 15-18, Ranveer Singh Dhupia (76-76-78) improved 11 placed and was T44, while among the Girls 13, Asara Sawhney (83-79-81) finished T29, one place below where she was after the second round.
New comtingent
Next week another group from US Kids Golf India will play in the World Championships for boys and girls between six and 12.
The US Kids Golf World Teen Championship is recognised by the Junior Golf Scoreboard and the American Junior Golf Association besides allowing the players to gain World Amateur Golf Ranking points.
Top players emerging from the US Kids include the likes of world no. 1 Scottie Scheffler, two-time major winners Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas, and Indian-American Sahith Theegala among others.
Women stars from the ranks include Lexi Thompson and US Women’s Open winner Allisen Corpuz, also a three-time winner at US Kids Golf.
Aditi Ashok, India’s top woman pro, and Queen Sirikit Cup winner Avani Prashanth have also played with distinction at US Kids events.
Also read: Mahreen into shared lead at US Kids World Teen Champs
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