Strong field set to challenge WPGT Order of Merit leaders at DGC

Order of Merit topper Hitaashee Bakshi can expect a strong challenge to her position in the 11^th leg of the WPGT at Delhi Golf Club. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji 

A massive field of 46 will tee off in leg 11 of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour which resumes post a short break at the historic Delhi Golf Club from Wednesday.

The Rs 14 lakh event will see the cream of Indian women’s golf back in action and the field has been boosted with the presence of nine amateurs, some of whom have already made their mark, the WGAI said.

Led by Hero Order of Merit topper Hitaashee Bakshi and last year’s no. 1 Sneha Singh, the field will only be missing Diksha Dagar, Pranavi Urs and Vani Kapoor who have opted to rest before returning to the Ladies European Tour later this month.

Hitaashee and Sneha will be faced by proven names like Tvesa Malik Sandhu, Amandeep Drall, Ridhima Dilawari, Neha Tripathi and Seher Atwal, all of whom have had recent international experience and hope to return to the LET and beyond.

While the Tour took a six-week break, a number of the women have been in action at international events.

Big step

Sneha travelled to the US and qualified for the second stage of LPGA Qualifying while Hitaashee has been playing in South East Asia and was third at the Singapore Ladies Masters.

The nine amateurs include Zara Anand, who was recently T10 at the Junior Asia Pacific Championships in Manila. Her teammate Keerthana Rajeev is also in the field.

Leading the group is Mannat Brar, who became the first Indian to qualify for the semi-finals of the R&A Juniors in the UK. She is also the current All India Ladies Amateur champion, having beaten Zara in the final.

Competition is expected to be keen as the Hero Women’s Indian Open is up next month and spots are available for domestic tour leaders in the tournament co-sanctioned by the LET and the Women’s Golf Association of India.

Tvesa Malik Sandhu returns to the domestic tour having spent time on the European circuit, Image courtesy WGAI.

Round 1 tee times

7:50 am: Rhea Purvi Saravanan, Shagun Narain

8 am: Rhea Jha, Gursimar Badwal

8:10 am: Millie Saroha, Hitaashee Bakshi, Zara Anand (A)

8:20 am: Ishvari Prasanna, Vidhatri Urs, Jahaanvie Walia

8:30 am: Keerthana Rajeev (A), Jasmine Shekar, Nayanika Sanga

8:45 am: Chitrangada Singh, Yashita Raghav, Astha Madan

8:55 am: Vrinda Yadav, Anahita Singh, Mannat Brar (A)

9:05 am: Seher Atwal, Janneya Dasanniee (A), Kashika Misra (A)

9:15 am: Anvvi Dahhiya (A), Kriti Chowhan, Ananya Garg

9:30 am: Gauri Karhade, Anvitha Narender, Gourabi Bhowmick

9:40 am: Riya Yadav, Ridhima Dilawari, Sachika Singh

9:50 am: Tvesa Malik, Ravjot K. Dosanjh, Snigdha Goswami

10 am: Oviya Reddi, Agrima Manral, Khushi Khanijau

10:15 am: Sneha Singh, Yogya Bhalla (A), Amandeep Drall

10:25 am: Karishma Govind, Ananyaa Sood (A), Shweta Mansingh

10:35 am: Keya K. Badugu (A), Khushi, Neha Tripathi

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