Pranavi Urs makes a winning pro debut with third leg title

By Rahul Banerji

Even as Udayan Mane equalled a rare feat on the men’s tour, Pranavi Urs scripted a little slice of history for herself in the women’s game by becoming the first ever winner of successive titles, one as an amateur, and then as a professional.

The achievement came on the final day of the third leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Tour as Pranavi followed her second leg win an amateur with the third leg title on professional debut at the TNGF Cosmo golf course in Chennai on Friday.

This is Pranavi’s third win overall on the Hero WPGT, but the previous two – one last month and the earlier one in 2018 – came as an amateur.

Friday’s win did not come easy. Pranavi, who lost this season’s first leg with a triple bogey on the closing hole, came to the 18^th hole with a two-shot lead despite having two bogeys and a birdie in her previous three holes.

Critical difference

Pranavi, who shot two-under 35 for the front nine, was 4-over 39 for the back nine including three bogeys and a double. A birdie in between though, proved critical.

Amandeep Drall, two ahead of Pranavi at the start, was even for the front nine and level with Pranavi with nine holes to play.

On the back nine, Amandeep was unable to find any birdies and instead dropped five shots, three in a row at the very end. She still could have taken it into a playoff with just one par, but that was not to be.

Chennai girl Oviya Reddi, who held the lead for the first two days had a rough final round with three double bogeys and three bogeys against three birdies. That still gave her a share of third place, a best-ever showing for the teenager,

Smart golf

Saaniya Sharma showed that course management was profitable as she brought in the day’s only sub par score to finish tied third.

Vani Kapoor (74) was fifth, while Siddhi Kapoor (72), amateur Sneha Singh (74), Neha Tripathi (76) and Afshan Fatima (78) were tied for sixth place. 

Pranavi so far has finished second, first and first in three starts, but will need to look at her finishing, especially in the closing stages.

But for the last four holes – one of which was a birdie – she was solid over the last two rounds, especially the way she fought her way back into contention after an opening round of 80.

Ananya Datar, who slipped in the final round with 78 and finished T10, sits on top of the Hero Order of Merit. Afshan Fatima, who also shot 78 on the final day is second and Amandeep third.

Also read: No slip-up this time as Pranavi seals the win; turns professional