By Rahul Banerji
Hyderabad collegian Sneha Singh won her second Indian Golf Union event in as many weeks at the Western India Ladies and Amateur Girls Championship on Thursday.
Played at Ahmedabad’s Kalhaar Blues and Greens course, Sneha emerged the winner with a total score of three-under-par 213 in the three-day event.
Last week, she won the Rotary IGU championship at the Prestige Golfshire course near Bangalore with a seven-under 209 scoreline.
At Ahmedabad, Sneha was locked in a close battle with Chandigarh’s Hunar Mittal before prevailing in the final round.
Hunar held a one-shot lead going into the final day on Thursday which Sneha managed to overturn in windy conditions and fast greens.
In the final round, Sneha carded a 4-under 68 to seal her second win in two weeks.
Laudable call
Her Bangalore triumph, however, caught the wider attention of the Indian golfing fraternity when she called a penalty on herself on the first day.
On the 15th green at Golfshire in the first round, the player asked for the line to finish the putt and noticed the caddy had brushed the grass with his hand
The 17-year-old immediately asked for the referee and shared what had happened with the official.
Following a discussion with the tournament director, no decision was conveyed to the player who asked again before submitting her scorecard at the end of the round.
Sneha was then informed about a two-stroke penalty which dropped her score to one-under 71 from the day from 69, but Sneha recovered well enough to go on and win both the Amateur and girls’ events.
High praise
Noted Golf Digest India in its online edition, “No doubt a temporary disappointment (the penalty) but showed the character and integrity of the player and the valuable lesson for all golfers on how golf is indeed a game of upholding the highest values.
“It’s only fitting that Sneha went on to win the event by a stroke!
“The 17 year old girl from HGA, Hyderabad deserves an award for upholding the honour of the game.
“Her -7, 209 total for the tournament despite the 2 shot penalty makes a fitting case for strengthening the mind by being true to the game.”
Many golfers I know posted good words for Sneha’s sporting spirit on various social media platforms in the last week or so.
Since 2019, Sneha has won thrice on the professional circuit, first at her home course, last year at the Noida Golf Course and most recently during the ongoing season at the Golden Greens Golf Club in Gurgaon.
She was also the All India Amateur Championship 2019 and All India Junior Championship 2019 winner and is now in her first year at St Annes Women’s College after graduating from DPS Hyderabad earlier this year.
Also read: Sneha, Avani out to keep the heat up on the pros at Noida
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