Ridhima ends her long title wait with convincing Zion Hills result

Ridhima Dilawari receives her winner’s cheque and trophy from Zion Hills Golf County MD George Menomparampil. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji

Ridhima Dilawari won for the first time since 2022 with a four-shot margin in the 10th leg of the Hero WPGT at the Zion Hills course near Bangalore on Friday.

Before that, she needed to balance a troublesome front nine with a steady back stretch to total level par 216 with a closing 2 over 74 to follow rounds of 72 and 70, the WGAI said.

Amateur Saanvi Somu finished in second place yet again on a 54-hole aggregate of 4 over 220.

Vani Kapoor continued her rally from an opening 79 with 70 and 72 on the last two days for a creditable third place in a season where she has won four times. 

Vani started with two birdies and had one more after the turn against a double-bogey and bogey thereafter.

Durga Nittur (74) was sole fourth at 7 over 223 and two behind Vani Kapoor.

Battling performance

Ridhima, who last won in 2022, had a rough front nine as she dropped an early shot which she made up for with a birdie two holes later. 

However, a bogey and a double before the turn had her vulnerable to a charge, though she still held the lead.

Ridhima steadied herself on the return journey with one birdie on the 12^th and parred all other holes on the back nine for a 35.

One of her closest pursuers, Amandeep Drall (79), also carded a front nine 40, while Neha Tripathi (78) after an level par opening 36 had a 42 on the back nine.

Ridhima, who has been playing well in patches became the sixth different winner his season, her first since the 14^th leg of the 2022 season, during which she won twice. 

Confidence-boost

It will also give her confidence ahead of possible starts on the Ladies European Tour and the Women’s Hero Indian Open in October.

Neha’s 78 dropped her down the leaderboard and she was tied fifth with amateur Tanishka Prithvi (73), Gauri Karhade (75) and Heena Kang (75) on  8 over 224.

Seher Atwal (77) and Amandeep Drall (79) tied for ninth. Sneha Singh (72) was T11 and last week’s winner, Jasmine Shekar (75) was T14.

Vani Kapoor with Rs.14,43,667 maintains her big lead at the top of the Hero Order of Merit, while Ridhima with Rs.9,58,000 has taken second place edging past Amandeep Drall (Rs.9,52,967).

Also read: Ridhima rides a roller-coaster to take the lead at Zion Hills