Ridhima hunts fifth win as Hero WPGT final leg tees off in Kolkata

By Rahul Banerji

Gaurika Bishnoi will be the only prominent name missing from the field as the season-ending Rs.10 lakh 15^th leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour tees off at the historic Royal Calcutta Golf Club on Wednesday and Ridhima Dilawari seeks to extend her winning run.

Last week’s winner at the Noida Golf Course, Ridhima DIlawari, will be seeking a fifth success this season, a feat not accomplished since Vani Kapoor registered seven wins in 2016.

Ridhima will be challenged, however, by Ladies European Tour winner Diksha Dagar, the in-form Tvesa Malik and the experienced Vani Kapoor among others.

The event will miss Hero Order of Merit leader Gaurika Bishnoi, who has skipped it for medical reasons. She has however already made sure taking the honours as she is almost Rs.2 lakh clear of second placed Amandeep Drall and the winner’s cheque this week is of Rs.1,40,000.

Healthy field

The final event of the season has 26 professionals and one amateur, Pranavi Urs, who next year could be expected to turn professional.

The event will also see an international flavor with the entry of Thai duo Numa Gulyanamitta and P. Supakchaya.

In the current season the first 14 events have been won by seven players, with Ridhima Dilawari accounting for four and Tvesa winning three times.

The only other player to win more than once has been Gaurika Bishnoi, who has also had a very consistent season with a string of top-3 finishes. Amandeep Drall, Neha Tripathi, Gursimar Badwal, Gauri Karhade and amateur Sneha Singh have been the other winners this year.

The money list is headed by Gaurika who has amassed Rs.11,84,100, while Amandeep has won Rs. 9,85,933. Ridhima’s four wins from 11 starts have earned her Rs.9,69,433 and third place on the Order of Merit.

Round 1 tee times

8:30 am : Vani Kapoor; Anisha Agarwalla; Diksha Dagar;

8:40 am : Vandana Agarwal; Gurjot Badwal; Suchitra Ramesh;

8:50 am : Amandeep Drall; Ishvari Prasanna; Anousha Tripathi;

9 am : Shriya Vivek; Ridhima Dilawari; Supakchaya P.;

9:10 am: Saaniya Sharma; Jyotsana Singh; Neha Tripathi;

9:20 am : Khushi Khanijau; Astha Madan; Smriti Mehra;

9:30 am : Gauri Karhade; Tavleen Batra; Pranavi Urs (A);

9:40 am : Gursimar Badwal; Tvesa Malik; Marshneil Prasad;

9:50 am : Siddhi Kapoor; Numa Gulyanamitta; Ananya Datar

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