By Rahul Banerji
Nishtha Madan kept up her chase for a third title on US shores when she held on to the lead for the second day running at the Dallas Cup series on the Cactus Tour on Tuesday.
The Delhi golfer, previously winner of the Kentucky Open last July and at Sun City in September, opened a comfortable lead over her closest pursuer, Sophie Hausmann of Germany.
Nishtha followed her opening 6-under par 66 at the Apache Creek Golf Club with a 1-under 71 on day two to aggregate 7-under 137, three shots up on Hausmann (67- 73).
Allison Emrey (70-71) sits in third place.
The Sacramento State graduate opened with a birdie but dropped two shots thereafter to make the turn in Apache Junction on 1-over 36.
Nishtha made amends on her way back to the clubhouse with two birdies and seven pars to raise hopes of a second Cactus Tour title with 18 holes to go.
Saaniya heads Tvesa, Bakshi sisters
Nishtha’s elder sister was in action at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon, but with lesser luck.
After the first day of the fifth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, Aastha Madan was sitting mid-pack, eight shots behind leader Saaniya Sharma.
Saaniya finally found the form she has been searching for as she sank five birdies against three bogeys for the day’s best round of 2-under 70.
Saaniya’s top finish this season has been T12 but on Wednesday, she shot her best round of the year.
It gave her a one-shot lead over Tvesa Malik and the Bakshi sisters, Hitaashee and Jahanvi, bunched on 1-under 71 on the Gary Player layout.
Tvesa, playing with Saaniya in the first group this morning, had two birdies against one bogey.
“It was disappointing that I could not take my chances,” said Tvesa, who plans to stay on the domestic Tour and hone her game before she goes to Europe in summer.
Leading amateur
Avani Prashanth, who has already tasted title success, was the leading amateur on the day.
She could have been in the lead too but for a late double bogey that gave her sole fifth place on level par 72.
Vani Kapoor, playing at her home course, had a 74 for sixth place.
Saaniya, a qualified referee and coach, was happy to come in with a sub-par round.
“I’ve worked hard the last few weeks; it was good to see the scores coming,” she said.
Jahanvi Bakshi was five under through 12 holes before a triple bogey on the par-4 13th that tripped quite a few in the field got her as well.
She also dropped a shot two holes later but pars after that limited the damage and a 71.
Hitaashee, a winner last year, was two under after the front nine with three birdies and a bogey.
The teenager then parred eight holes in succession before a dropped shot on 18 saw her fall back into the second place tie.
Gauri Karhade, Shweta Mansingh and Lakhmehar Pardesi were T7 on 76 and three others, Neha Tripathi, Oviya Reddi and amateur Riya Yadav shot 77s to share 10th place.
Ridhima Dilawari hurt her left arm and pulled out after an 81, while Diksha Dagar, bothered by her back, struggled to 87.
Order of Merit leader Amandeep Drall shot a 79 that included a quintuple bogey nine on the par-4 13th.
Scores and Round 2 tee times
8 am: Diksha Dagar 87; Disha Kavery 85;
8:10 am: Anisha Agarwalla 85; Trimann Saluja 84; Nishna Patel (A) 83
8:20 am: Rishika Muralidhar (A) 83; Ananya Datar 83; Hunar Mittal (A) 81
8:30 am: Jyotsana Singh 81; Gursimar Badwal 81; Ishvari Prasanna 81
8:45 am: Geetika Ahuja 81; Gaurika Bishnoi 80; Khushi Khanijau 80
8:55 am: Shagun Narain 79; Durga Nittur 79; Amandeep Drall 79
9:05 am: Vidhatri Urs (A) 78; Astha Madan 78; Rhea Jha 78
9:15 am: Riya Yadav (A) 77; Oviya Reddi 77; Neha Tripathi 77
9:30 am: Lakhmehar Pardesi 76; Shweta Mansingh 76; Gauri Karhade 76
9:40 am: Vani Kapoor 74; Avani Prashanth (A) 72; Hitaashee Bakshi 71
9:50 am: Jahanvi Bakshi 71; Tvesa Malik 71; Saaniya Sharma 70
Also read: Nishtha Madan reels in second title with Cactus Tour win
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