Merit topper Riddhima takes opening gambit at Prestige Golfshire

Order of Merit leader Ridhima Dilawari made a flying start to her campaign in the Hero WPGT’s 12th lead at Prestige Golfshire near Bangalore on Wednesday. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji

A multiple winner already this Hero WPGT season, Ridhima Dilawari rediscovered some her mojo to take the opening day’s honours at Prestige Golfshire near Bangalore on Wednesday.

Ridhima, who has been searching for her A game after the three wins in first six legs of the Tour, fired a 5 under par 67 in the first round of Leg 12 for a lead of three shots, the WGAI said.

The Gurugaon golfer, who turned 28 last month, had six birdies against one bogey on the day.

Amateur Keerthana Rajeev, Mannat Brar and Vidhatri Urs, winner of the Zion Hills leg, shared second place on 2 under 70.

Keerthana had four birdies against two bogeys, while Mannat had three birdies against one bogey on the 18^th and Vidhatri had one bogey on the opening hole and three birdies, all on the front nine.

The experienced trio of Amandeep Drall, Neha Tripathi and Shweta Mansingh were in tied fifth place along with Anaggha Venkatesh on even par 72 as only eight players shot par or better on the day.

Another big bunch of five players — Heena Kang, Durga Nittur, Oviya Reddi, amateur Anushka Gupta and Jasmine Shekar — were in tied ninth place on 1 over 73.

Among the surprises were Vani Kapoor, who trailed in T26 with a 76, while last week’s winner, Sneha Singh (78) was T35.

Saanvi Somu, who has played a lot in Europe this season on the LET Access Series, shot 75 and was tied for 21st place.

Scores and round 2 tee times

6:30 am: Geetika Ahuja 85, Mayara Sharma 84

6:40 am: Diya C. Patil (A) 83, Eti Chaudhary 83, Ragini Navet (A) 83

6:50 am: Ketaki Sood 82, Stuthii Kaveriamma (A) 82, Yashita Raghav 81

7 am: Riya Jadon 81, Priya Kumari (A) 80, Prarthana Khanna 79

7:10 am: Rhea Jha 78, Snigdha Goswami 78, Sneha Singh 78

7:25 am: Janneya Dasanniee 78, Saanvi Reddy 78, Agrima Manral 77

7:35 am: Ayesha Gupta (A) 77, Khushi Khanijau 77, Ayushi Dutta 76

7:45 am: Shrestha Shukla 76, Prakruthi Sastry 76, Anahita Singh 76

7:55 am: Ananya Garg 76, Vani Kapoor 76, Anvitha Narender 75

8:10 am: Shagun Narain 75, Saanvi Somu 75, Jasmandeep Kaur 75

8:20 am: Esther Lobo 75, Kashika Misra 74, Lavanya Jadon 74

8:30 am: Anvvi Dahhiya 74, Ananya Datar 74, Seher Atwal 74

8:40 am: Jahnavi Prakhya 74, Smriti Bhargav 74, Jasmine Shekar 73

8:55 am: Anushka Gupta (A) 73, Oviya Reddi 73, Durga Nittur 73

9:05 am: Heena Kang 73, Shweta Mansingh 72, Neha Tripathi 72

9:15 am: Anaggha Venkatesh 72, Amandeep Drall 72, Vidhatri Urs 70

9:25 am: Mannat Brar 70, Keerthana Rajeev (A) 70, Ridhima Dilawari 67

Also read: Sneha keen on carrying Clover Greens momentum to Golfshire