Mannat Brar and Heena Kang share early lead at Golfshire

Rookie pro Heena Kang and top amateur Mannat Brar shared the day one lead in leg 11 of the Hero WPGT at Prestige Golfshire near Bangalore on Wednesday. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji

Amateur Mannat Brar and rookie pro Heena Kang led after the first round of the 11^th leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at Prestige Golfshire on Wednesday. 

The two shot level par 72s and led Kriti Chowhan and amateurs Lavanya Gupta and Riya Jadon by two shots, the WGAI said.

In all, three amateurs are in the top five, none of whom have won on the Hero WPG Tour.

Heena, who finished tied for fifth on debut as a pro last month in Zion Hills, opened with a pair of bogeys. 

The former India international amateur fought back with birdies on holes thiee, seven and 12 to go under par. A closing bogey saw her finish with the 72.

Plus and minus

Mannat birdied the fourth but gave that shot back on the very next hole, the Par-5 fifth. 

Bogeys on 11 and 12 pushed her back to 2-over but she hit back with birdies on 15 and 18for an even par round.

Kriti and Lavanya had two birdies and four bogeys each, while Riya had three birdies against three bogeys and a double in her 74.

The surprise of the day was Ridhima Dilawari, who won the 10^th leg. She struggled to a round of 82 while another former winner, Seher Atwal, shot 86.

Ananya Datar, Jasmine Shekar and Anahita Singh shared sixth place on 3 over 75, while Karishma Govind, Durga Nittur, Ananya Garg, Khushi Khanijau and Astha Madan were T9 on 76s each.

Scores and round 2 tee times

8 am: Geetika Ahuja 86, Seher Atwal 86

8:10 am: Yashita Raghav 86, Marshneil Prasad 85, Ravjot K. Dosanjh 83

8:20 am: Ridhima Dilawari 82, Anaggha Venkatesh 81, Oviya Reddi 81

8:30 am: Gauri Karhade 81, Shrestha Shukla 80, Saanvi Reddy (A) 80

8:40 am: Snigdha Goswami 80, Anvitha Narender 79, Rhea Jha 78

8:55 am: Vidhatri Urs 78, Neha Tripathi 78, Agrima Manral 78

9:05 am: Jahaanvie Walia 77, Yaalisai Verma 77, Astha Madan 76

9:15 am: Durga Nittur 76, Ananya Garg 76, Khushi Khanijau 76

9:30 am: Karishma Govind 76, Jasmine Shekar 75, Anahita Singh 75

9:40 am: Ananya Datar 75, Riya Jadon (A) 74, Lavanya Gupta (A) 74

9:50 am: Kriti Chowhan 74, Mannat Brar (A) 72, Heena Kang 72

Also read: Ridhima, Jasmine and Neha among top starters at Golfshire