Ridhima, Diksha share lead after RCGC leg first round

By Rahul Banerji

In search for her fifth title to round off a successful 2019 Hero Women’s Pro Tour season, Ridhima Dilawari sank a crucial birdie to ensure a share of the lead in the 15^th and final leg of the tour at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club on Wednesday.

With a 1-under par card of 71, Ridhima joined Ladies European Tour player Diksha Dagar, who was in the first group of the day and had contrasting front and back nines at the top of the leader-board.

Thailand’s P. Supakchaya had two bogeys and a birdie in her first three holes, and then parred the remaining 15 for a 73 for third place, while Vani Kapoor and Siddhi Kapoor shot 74s to be tied-fourth.

Three players including amateur Pranavi Urs, Amandeep Drall and Khushi Khanijau had 75s for a share of sixth place, while Neha Tripathi and Tvesa Malik rounded off the top 10 with 76s each.

Up and down

Diksha, the only Indian to have won on the Ladies European Tour this year, was 4-under for the front nine with birdies in first, fourth, fifth and ninth holes, but then dropped three shots on the back nine to fall to 71.

Ridhima had a roller-coaster of a round with a birdie to starters and added two more against three bogeys to turn in level par 36.

She bogeyed the 10th too but two quick birdies brought her back into red numbers before yet another bogey-birdie sequence helped her back to the top of the board alongside Diksha.

Vani Kapoor had three bogeys against one birdie, while Siddhi had three bogeys on the front nine and one birdie on the back nine.

Amandeep had five bogeys and a double against three birdies, while Khushi had two bogeys, a double and one gained shot. Pranavi Urs turned in a stunning finish, as she was seven-over after 13 holes before closing with four straight birdies to jump to 3-over par 75.

Round 2 tee times

8:30 am: Anousha Tripathi 86; Jyotsana Singh 83

8:40 am: Ishvari Prasanna 82; N. Gulyanamitta 81; Marshneil Prasad 81

8:50 am: Saaniya Sharma 80; Shriya Vivek 80; Tavleen Batra 79

9 am: Astha Madan 79; Anisha Agarwalla 79; Ananya Datar 78

9:10 am: Gauri Karhade 78; Gurjot Badwal 78; Tvesa Malik 76

9:20 am: Neha Tripathi 76; Pranavi Urs (A) 75; Khushi Khanijau 75

9:30 am: Amandeep Drall 75; Siddhi Kapoor 74; Vani Kapoor 74

9:40 am: Supakchaya P. 73; Ridhima Dilawari 71; Diksha Dagar 71 

Also read: Diksha, Ridhima lead on NGC leg opener of women’s pro tour