Ridhima carries top form over into new season’s opener in Pune

By Rahul Banerji

Last season’s multiple winner Ridhima Dilawari seems to have carried her form over into 2020. On day two of the opening event of the season, she had moved into the sole lead at the Poona Club Golf Course on Thursday.

Ridhima, who shared the first round lead with amateur Pranavi Urs (70-73), shot a 71 to go with her first round of 70 to aggregate 1-under 141 at the Par-71 layout first in the first leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour 2020.

Ridhima, who had five wins from 12 starts in 2019, was two shots clear of Pranavi and Amandeep Drall, whose second round 70 was the only sub-par round of the day.

Vani Kapoor moved up with a 1-over 72 and at 147 for two rounds, she was tied fourth alongside Afshan Fatima (73-74).

Late blip

Ridhima, who played solid golf through 2019, may well have been more than two shots clear of the field, but for a closing bogey besides two other dropped shots. TO balance that, she also had four birdies.

Amandeep Drall was going well with three birdies against just one bogey on the front nine. She added another after the turn to three-under for the day, but dropped shots late to finish on a 70.

Pranavi started the day with a triple bogey on the first hole but thereafter held her round together with three birdies and two other bogeys for a card of 73.

Vani had one birdie against two bogeys in her 72.

Close together

The fancied Diksha Dagar (72-77) and Saaniya Sharma (73-76) were tied  for sixth, while Jyotsana Singh (77-74), Sonam Chugh (76-75), Mehar Atwal (76-75) and Neha Tripathi (74-77) were T8 on 151s.

Winner of the Hero Order of Merit in 2019 Gaurika Bishnoi, struggled for the second day running as she carded 79 after 76 in the first round.

Scores

Trimann Saluja 170; Ayesha Kapur 168

Anousha Tripathi 166; Geetika Ahuja 165; Oviya Reddi 162

Shriya Vivek 160; Gursimar Badwal 160; Tanirika Singh 159

Ishvari Prasanna 159; Anisha Agarwalla 158; Ananya Datar 155

Gaurika Bishnoi 155; Gurjot Badwal 154; Khushi Khanijau 153

Siddhi Kapoor 152; Neha Tripathi 151; Mehar Atwal 151

Sonam Chugh 151; Jyotsana Singh 151; Diksha Dagar 149

9:40 AM : Saaniya Sharma 149; Afshan Fatima 147; Vani Kapoor 147

Pranavi Urs (A) 143; Amandeep Drall 143; Ridhima Dilawari 141.

Also read: Diksha Dagar in field for season’s first leg of Hero WPG Tour in Pune