Resurgent Tvesa Malik leads at DLF leg of Hero WPGT

By Rahul Banerji

Tvesa Malik led for the first time this season in the seventh leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the DLF Golf & Country Club on Wednesday.

Tvesa, who had a forgettable season on the Ladies European Tour in 2022, has been shaking off the rust over the last two weeks, the WGAI said.

A week after losing in a playoff to Gaurika Bishnoi in the sixth leg, Tvesa carded a four-under 68, her best round of the year, to take a one-shot lead into the final round at her home course.

Following her modest 74 on the first day, Tvesa’s 68 moved her to two-under 142 for a one-shot ahead of Gaurika (71-72).

Amateur Vidhatri Urs, fresh from her experience at the Queen Sirikit Cup where India finished second in the Philippines returned a one-under 71 for sole third at even par 144.

Vani Kapoor (72-73) dropped three shots in the last five holes and was fourth while Ridhima Dilawari (73-74) and Asmitha Sathish (75-72) were tied for fifth.

Tvesa, trying to play herself back into form, has improved with each outing.

On Wednesday, she had five birdies against a lone dropped shot to finish her first nine on a superb four-under 32.

Even return

On the back nine, she swapped bogey for birdie for a day’s return of 68.

Gaurika also had two sets of back-to-back birdies but dropped four shots to finish with a level par 72.

Vidhatri had five birdies against two bogeys and a double and Vani had three birdies and three of her four bogeys came on the par-5s as she carded 73.

Seher Atwal (76-73) with one birdie and one bogey on either side of the course was sole seventh.

Amateur Anvvi Dahhiya (80-73) and Amandeep Drall (74-79), the runner-up at the Hero Women’s Indian Open at the same course last year, were tied eighth.

Oviya Reddi (77-77) and Agrima Manral (75-79) were tied tenth.

Amandeep had a round to forget as she parred the whole of front nine and then had four bogeys in a row and closed with a triple.

The cut fell at 161 and 23 players made the final round. Among the prominent names missing the cut were Saaniya Sharma and Hitaashee Bakshi.

Scores and round 3 tee times

7:30 am: Ananya Datar 161, Durga Nittur 161

7:40 am: Jasmine Shekar 160, Sneha Singh 160, Lakhmehar Pardesi 159

7:50 am: Khushi Khanijau 159, Riya Yadav 158, Kriti Chowhan 158

8 am: Neha Tripathi 158, Rhea Purvi S. 157, Shweta Mansingh 156

8:15 am: Rhea Jha 155, Agrima Manral 154, Oviya Reddi 154

8:25 am: Amandeep Drall 153, Anvvi Dahhiya (A) 153, Seher Atwal 149

8:35 am: Ridhima Dilawari 147, Asmitha Sathish 147, Vani Kapoor 145

8:45 am: Vidhatri Urs (A) 144, Gaurika Bishnoi 143, Tvesa Malik 142

Also read: Gaurika, Rhea share first-round lead at DLF leg of Hero WPGT