By Rahul Banerji
Seher Atwal ended her short wait for a maiden professional win with a comfortable three-shot cushion at the Poona Club Golf Course on Friday.
The niece of Indian golf legend Arjun Atwal, Seher survived some anxious moments before coasting home In the fourth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour.
Seher had come close a week ago in Mumbai but this time there was no stopping the 22-year-old.
She started the day with a two-stroke lead and had a final round of 2-over 73 that was good enough to see emerge a three-shot winner over Vani Kapoor (74) and Hitaashee Bakshi (75).
On a chilly and windy day at the Poona Club Golf Course, there were no sub-par rounds and only three players shot level par 71s.
For Vani, this was her best result since tying for second in the sixth leg before Covid hit last year.
Hitaashee won the last event of 2020 and was runner-up in the second leg this year, indicating her progress.
Hero Order of Merit leader Amandeep Drall, tied-second overnight, hit a 76 and slipped to tied fourth alongside amateur and national women’s champion Sneha Singh (73) and Jahanvi Bakshi (74).
Early success
Seher, who turned pro when the Hero WPGT Tour returned to golf after the pandemic-enforced break, was playing in only her seventh start.
“It’s a big relief to get the job done. I was quite nervous and it was the windiest of the three days. I am glad I could hold on,” said Seher.
Seher, coached by Nonita Lall Qureshi, has finished in the top 10 in each of her six starts, with a second place at the eighth leg last year in DLF as her best.
She was third at Classic in the ninth and last leg of 2020, and fourth in the third leg at Bombay Presidency last week.
“I came back from the US, where I was at Rollins, in March because of Covid and graduated in May.
“When I was in the US, I would often speak to Arjun uncle, and even played with him. With college and practice, it was not as often as I would have wanted, but yes I was in touch with him,” Seher said.
She added, “My sister, Mehar, also won a Hero WPGT event here in Pune, but as an amateur and I have played here in the IGU events but never won.
“So it was great to get a pro win here. I would like to play the (Ladies) European Tour Q-School this year and hopefully I can get there.”
Seher led going into the final round in Mumbai last week but failed to close it out.
Anxious moments
On Friday, she admitted to moments of anxiety with bogeys on the second, third and eighth holes , but with her nearest rivals Hitaashee and Amandeep also in trouble, Seher stayed ahead.
Seher steadied herself on the back nine with birdies on 10 and 14t against one further dropped shot, while Vani had one bogey and parred the rest, as did Hitaashee.
Hitaashee was done in by a triple bogey on the sixth, while Amandeep had three bogeys in her first five holes.
Vani with two bogeys, a double and two birdies also did not take advantage of the leader’s struggles.
Ridhima Dilawari (72) and last week’s winner, amateur Avani Prashanth (73) were tied seventh.
Second overnight, Tvesa Malik (78) endured a rough day with seven bogeys in the first 12 holes and just one birdie in her 78, and ended ninth.
Amateur Nayanika Sanga (71), one of the only three players to shoot par in the final round, was tenth. Diksha Dagar (77) and Gaurika Bishnoi (77) were T16.
Also read: Seher Atwal lines up another shot at maiden professional title
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