Neha Tripathi racks up second win in three Hero WPGT starts

By Rahul Banerji

Neha Tripathi, winless for more than four and a half years, has now won twice in three starts on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour.

Having topped After the 10th leg before the mid-year break, Neha has now triumphed twice in her last three starts, adding her second title of the season at the 12th leg of the Hero WPGT at Golden Greens on Friday.

Neha became the third player to win a second time this year after Sneha Singh and Gaurika Bishnoi.

She also moved into second place on the Hero Order of Merit, as Sneha Singh despite a T-22 finish on Friday continued to stayed on top. Seher Atwal, who was 12th this week, is lying third.

The seasoned Neha, who has shown encouraging form after putting in hard off-season work, overcame a disastrous quadruple bogey while carding a round of 1-over 73 and still won by three shots.

Strong challenge

With cards of 68-67-73, she totalled 8-under 208 and warded off a strong final day challenge from Tvesa Malik, who put together a superb 6-under 66 to finish second at 5-under 211. Tvesa earlier shot 75-70 on the first two days.

Ridhima Dilawari (70-72-70) was tied for third with Riya Yadav, who after two fine days carded a 75 in the third and final round. They totalled 4-under 212.

Starting the final day with a two-shot lead, Neha had an early birdie, but then a quadruple bogey on the Par-5 fifth created something of a mini-crisis.

However, Riya Yadav, just two behind at that stage, could not take advantage. Riya, who had a hole-in-one on the first day, dropped shots on holes eight and nine and then three in a row from 13 to 15 as she ended with a 75.

Neha recovered with birdies on eight and 10. She then birdied 14 but dropped a shot on 15.

Three closing pars ensured Neha would win comfortably, receiving a cheque of Rs.1,48,000 from Ravi Grover, Director of Golden Greens Golf & Resorts for the week.

Fiery round

Tvesa Malik had three birdies and one bogey on the front nine and then four birdies on the back nine as she played a round of 66.

She started the final round ten shots behind Neha and it was too big a lead to cover, though Tvesa made up seven shots. She may have fallen three short but will gain plenty of confidence going ahead.

Ridhima Dilawari had two birdies and a bogey in the first four holes, three birdies against two bogeys between the eighth and 12th and parred the last six holes for 70.

Hero Order of Merit leader, Sneha Singh had a disappointing week with a round of 80 after 78-75 on first two days and finished T-22nd.

Gaurika Bishnoi (74) Asmitha Sathish (74) were tied-fifth at 1-under 215.

Khushi Khanijau with a second straight 71 was seventh on level par 216, while Durga Nittur (72) was eighth and Jasmine Shekar (76) ninth. Gauri Karhade (72) and Agrima Manral (78) rounded off the top 10.

The top amateur prize was shared by Smriti Bhargava (73-76-75) and Nishna Patel (75-73-76).

The next event is scheduled from September 19 to 21 at DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram.

Also read: Neha Tripathi stretches day two lead at Golden Greens event