Mannat Brar wins her maiden pro title at BGC leg of Hero WPGT

Panchkula-based rookie professional Mannat Brar receives her winner’s cheque and trophy from Bangalore Golf Club captain Ravikumar Raju on Friday. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji

Mannat Brar, who turned professional this year after a stellar amateur career, out-gunned Vidhatri Urs on the final day of the eighth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in Bangalore on Friday. 

It was the 19-year-old rookie’s first win as a pro and came on the back of her best round since shedding amateur status, a 7 under par 61 at the Bangalore Golf Club, the WGAI said.

The day’s card lifted Mannat from tied seventh to the top with an 8 under 196 having returned 67 and 68 in the first two rounds at the par 68 course.

Vidhatri Urs battled the winner all the way, firing a closing 5 under 63 following rounds of 69 and 65 to finish on 7 under 197.

Overnight leader Zara Anand (69) had a rough start with three bogeys in her first five holes. 

Though she did make up with four birdies on the back nine, three more dropped shots saw the US-bound amateur take sole third place on 5 under 199. 

A former All India Amateur champion, Mannat created history in 2024 when she became the first Indian to reach the semi-finals of the R&A British Girls Amateur Championship and the Round of 16 in The Women’s Amateur Championship in Scotland in 2025.

Mannat also played the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship and has recently moved to Panchkula from Pune when her father, an officer in the Army moved on posting.

Talent pool

The result gave the WPGT a sixth winner this season from eight events, as the depth of talent on the Tour continues to produce tighter competitions and new winners.

Ridhima Dilawari is the season’s only repeat winner having annexed titles at Kalhaar in Ahmedabad, Poona Club and most recently at Jaypee Wishtown in Noida. 

Mannat, who began the day a shot behind Vidhatri, was in the third from last group. She set the clubhouse target with her brilliant run and then had to wait for more than half an hour for the final two groups to finish.

Vidhatri, playing in the second from ast group, had three birdies and closed to within one stroke of Mannat. Needing one more birdie to force a playoff, Vidhatri could only make par on hole 18.

Jasmine Shekar (4 under 200) was fourth, while Lavanya Jadon (69), who started the week by sharing the first round lead with Zara, tied for fifth with Anvvi Dahhiya (67) at 3 under 201.

Smriti Bhargava (69), who was also in contention after the first two days, fell back with a 1 over 69 on the final day and was seventh.

Ridhima Dilawari (68) and Nayanika Sanga (66) were tied for eighth at even par, while Yaalisai Verma (65), amateur Keerthana Rajiv (67) and Durga Nittur (72) rounded off the top 10.

Among those finishing further down were Tvesa Malik (68) at T13, amateur Mahreen Bhatia (69) at T15 and former Hero Indian Open runner-up Amandeep Drall (73) at T17.

Also read: Zara Anand leads field into final round of BGC leg of Hero WPGT