Ridhima aims for consecutive wins to close out 2021 season

By Rahul Banerji

A rejuvenated Ridhima Dilawari, who won last week at Tollygunge Club, will be looking to close out 2021 on a high at Royal Calcutta Golf Club with back-to-back wins.

She had also won the first Hero WPGT event of the year at Pune.

With some of the top stars still away at the Ladies European Tour’s Final Qualifying Stage in Spain, Ridhima’s main competition will come from the likes of Saaniya Sharma, Lakhmehar Pardesi and Seher Atwal.

The field also includes the experienced Smriti Mehra and Neha Tripathi. For Smriti, the Royal Calcutta Golf Club is her home course.

At Tollygunge, Ridhima managed to hold on for a win despite a closing triple bogey on the final day.

She won by one shot over Saaniya and by two over Lakhmehar.

This week Ridhima has been grouped with amateur Chitrangada Singh and Ishvari Prasanna in the opening round.

A field of 22 including four amateurs are in for the Rs. 7 lakh event.

This is the last event of the combined 2020-21 season in which Amandeep Drall still leads the order of merit.

She is in Spain and has already secured the Hero Order of Merit since her closest rivals, Vani Kapoor and Jahanvi Bakshi are at the LET’s Qualifying School Final Stage.

Round 1 tee times

8:30 am: Anisha Agarwalla; Smriti Mehra

8:40 am: Riya Yadav; Smriti Bhargav (A)

8:50 am: Khushi Khanijau; Saaniya Sharma; Geetika Ahuja

9 am: Jyotsana Singh; Jahnavi Prakhya (A); Neha Tripathi

9:15 am: Rhea Jha; Shagun Narain; Seher Atwal

9:25 am: Ishvari Prasanna; Chitrangada Singh (A); Ridhima Dilawari

9:35 am: Lakhmehar Pardesi; Oviya Reddi; Shweta Mansingh

9:45 am: Trimann Saluja; Rhea Purvi S.; Agrima Manral (A)

Also read: Ridhima pulls off great escape at Tolly despite closing triple bogey