By Rahul Banerji
Pranavi Urs ended a 13-month title wait with birdie on the first play-off hole against Gaurika Bishnoi in the first leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club on Friday,
The Hyderabad result signalled a return from her wrist injury for the Mysore 18 year old who last won the second leg of the tour in 2021.
For Gaurika, the result was a let-down having held the lead for the first two days.
Hyderabad amateur and former national women’s champion Sneha Singh (70) was sole third on 2-under 214, while Jahanvi Bakshi (69) finished fourth on 1-under 215.
Durga Nittur (69), who had the day’s best round along with Jahanvi Bakshi, was fifth on 2-over 218.
Pranavi, who was nine shots behind Gaurika after the first round, had cut that lead to three after the second day.
On Friday, flying on a superb eagle on the Par-5 seventh, the long-hitting Pranavi, totalled 1-under 71 despite a closing bogey in regulation play.
Both Gaurika and Pranavi bogeyed the first and Gaurika increased her lead to four with birdie on the second hole.
Pranavi got it back to three with birdie on three before the eagle narrowed the lead to one shot.
Swinging fortunes
Gaurika then bogeyed twice in succession to surrender the lead to Pranavi for the first time.
On the back nine, it was Pranavi’s turn to drop shots and she did so on 10 and 13 as the lead went back to Gaurika.
A crucial two-shot swing came on 14 as Gaurika bogeyed and Pranavi birdied. Another birdie on 15 put Pranavi two clear. The two players parred the par-3 16th.
Coming to the 17th tee, Pranavi was two ahead, but Gaurika holed a nearly 20-foot putt for birdie to cut the lead to one.
On 18, Pranavi three-putted from 20-25 feet to drop a shot and fall into a tie at 5-under 211. Pranavi made amends in the play-off with a birdie, while Gaurika managed only a par.
“I have been driving and hitting well this whole week. I am not tense anymore about my wrist and the game was good overall,” Pranavi said later.
“It was a great battle as the lead changed hands a few times. Maybe the eagle gave me an edge, but Gaurika played well.
“She birdied 17 and I three-putted 18 and we went into a play-off. That’s how close it was.”
Fifth win
It was the fifth win on Hero WPGT Tour for Pranavi, who was playing alongside the pros even while being an amateur.
Her first two wins on the Tour came as an amateur in 2018 and in 2020. She turned pro the week after her second win as an amateur and immediately won her first start as a pro.
In 2021 she won the second leg and then picked up the injury. Now fully fit, she is setting her sights higher.
“I hope to go to Europe and try for a few starts on LET Access and LET. That will hopefully help me get into the LET,” said Pranavi, who plans to focus even more on professional golf.
For Gaurika it was a disappointment after holding the lead for the first two days.
Nayanika Sanga (73) and Hitaashee Bakshi (75) were tied sixth, while Jasmine Shekar (73) was eighth.
Ridhima Dilawari (74), unable to break par on any of the three days, was ninth, while Neha Tripathi (71) and Seher Atwal (73) were tied for tenth.
The second leg of the Hero WPG Tour will be held at the East Point Golf Club in Visakhapatnam from February 16 to 18.
Also read: Pranavi shoots career-best 65 but Gaurika maintains Hyderabad lead
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