Seven in fray for Sirikit Cup squad trials at Noida Golf Course

By Rahul Banerji

A field of seven will contest the two berths available for the 41^st edition of the Queen Sirikit Cup Asia-Pacific Amateur Ladies Golf Team Championship at the Glenelg Golf Club in Adelaide from March 6 to 8 over six legs divided between the Noida Golf Course and Jaypee Greens from Saturday.

NGC will host the first two rounds, on Saturday and Sunday, with the remaining four to be played in Greater Noida, Indian Golf Union (IGU) tournament director C.S. Shetty told teetimetales. India will field a three-member team for the Queen Sirikit Cup.

“There were originally 10 entries but three have withdrawn, Two players will be selected from these six rounds with the best five scores counted, and the third member of the team will picked be at the discretion of the selection committee,” Shetty added.

Young talent

In the fray for the selection rounds are a talented young group including Pranavi Urs of Mysore, winner of a handsome scholarship in the Bahamas starting later this year, Nayanika Sangha, Hitashee Bakshi, Jahnavi Bakshi, Khushi Hooda, Gurjot Badwal, sister of title-winning professional Gursimar, and Annika Verma.

Three-strong teams from 14 Asia-Pacific nations contest the annual Queen Sirikit Cup that is played by rotation among participants. In the 40 years of the tournament, Japan, Australia and Korea have dominated the winners’ list sharing 35 triumphs between them. Defending champions Korea alone have won the Queen Sirikit Cup on an astounding 20 occasions.

Gursimar cruises to comfortable win at Oxford

Meanwhile, in Pune, Gursimar Badwal gave her rivals absolutely no chance on the final day and wrapped up her first title of 2019 by winning the second leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Oxford Golf Resort on Friday.

Gursimar shot a 4-under 68 for the second time in three days to total 5-under 211 and win by five shots over Amandeep Drall (72), who ended on level par 216.

Tvesa Malik (72) was third on 3-over 219, while Neha Tripathi (72), winner of the first leg, was fourth at 5-over 221. Sifat Alag (77) was fifth.

Gursimar, who led by five shots after the first day, had allowed that lead to shrink to just one after the second day.

Blazing start

However, on Friday, she made birdies on the first and the third holes, even as her playing partner and nearest rival, Amandeep Drall dropped an early shot. Gursimar stayed focused and went 2-under 34 for the front nine, as Amandeep’s 37 to allow the gap to swell from one shot to four.

Tvesa Malik, who was four behind after 36 holes, fell another two behind as she was even par for the front nine.

Gursimar pulled away even more decisively on the back nine with three quick birdies thugh she also dropped a shot. Again she had the best back nine score of 2-under 34.

By the 15^th hole, Gursimar had opened a six-shot lead and she made no mistakes in the last four holes. Amandeep had too much to do in too few holes and managed only one more birdie to finish second.

Behind Neha and Sifat, who finished fourth and fifth respectively, were Gaurika Bishnoi (75) sixth and Ananya Datar (77) seventh. Siddhi Kapoor (75), Afshan Fatima (79) and Millie Saroha (80) were all Tied-8th on 233.

Despite finishing fourth, Neha stayed on top of the Hero Order of Merit with winnings of Rs.2,16,000, followed by Amandeep who has Rs.1,76,000. Gursimar trails Amandeep by a mere Rs.1,600, and is third while Afshan is fourth.

The action now shifts to Ahmedabad, where the third leg will be played from February 4 to 7 at the Kensville Golf and Country Club, while the fourth leg will be held at the Kalhaar Blues and Greens, also in Ahmedabad.

Also read: Pranavi Urs defends title at Faldo Series India