Clean round gives Seher the lead in Pune leg of Hero WPGT

By Rahul Banerji

Seher Atwal carded a bogey-free three-under 68 to take the sole lead in the opening leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in Pune on Thursday.

At the Poona Club Golf Course. Seher, who had three birdies, held a two-shot lead over first round leader Shagun Narain (71-73) going into the final round on level par 142.

Ridhima Dilawari (75-71) was third, having recovered from a disappointing opening round with a four-over 146.

Neha Tripathi had a triple bogey and a double in a card of 6-over 77 that dropped her to fourth place from tied second.

Seher, who has been showing consistent progress, had a win last season and also won at this course in 2021. That was the last time the Poona Golf Club hosted a Hero WPGT event.

The only Indian to get status onto the Ladies European Tour through the Qualifying School this year, Seher was second on the Hero Order of Merit in 2022.

Looking ahead

She is hoping to get starts alongside Diksha Dagar (54^th), the only Indian in LET’s Top-60 in 2022, Vani Kapoor (63^rd) and Amandeep Drall (66^th), who were just outside Top-60 last year.

Shagun had two bogeys on the front nine, and then had two birdies and as many bogeys on the back nine. Ridhima had three birdies against one double and one bogey.

Four players including amateur Vidhatri Urs were tied for fifth at nine-over 151, Gauri Karhade (78-73), Ananya Datar (76-75) and Sneha Singh (75-76).

Sneha also had a quadruple bogey eight.

Amateur Lavanya Jadon (76-76) was ninth and Nayanika Sanga (73-80), dropped from tied second to 10^th.

Seheris looking to be in a good space ahead of the LET season, which she hopes to start at the Magical Kenya Open next month.

The 36-hole cut fell at 160 and prominent players missing out included Anisha Agarwalla and Suchitra Ramesh.

Scores and round three tee times

9 am: Lakhmehar Pardesi 160; Karishma Govind 160; Jasmine Shekar 159

9:10 am: Jyotsana Singh 159; Rhea Purvi Saravanan 159; Rhea Jha 158

9:20 am: Oviya Reddi 157; Afshan Fatima 157; Nishna Patel (A) 155

9:30 am: Khushi Khanijau 154; Saaniya Sharma 154; Nayanika Sanga 153

9:45 am: Lavanya Jadon (A) 152; Vidhatri Urs (A) 151; Sneha Singh 151

9:55 am: Ananya Datar 151; Gauri Karhade 151; Neha Tripathi 150

10:05 am: Ridhima Dilawari 146; Shagun Narain 144; Seher Atwal 142

Also read: Seher opens Hero WPGT season at venue with happy memories