Sneha Singh, Jahanvi Bakshi share opening-day lead at DLF

By Rahul Banerji

Amateur Sneha Singh and fellow-teenager Jahanvi Bakshi shared honours after a marathon second day of the seventh leg of the Hero WPGT at the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurgaon on Thursday.

While national amateur champion Sneha rode on a first-round 69, Jahanvi had a bogey-free 70 in the second round to sit atop the leaderboard on 1-under par 143s.

When action resumed on Wednesday for the second half of the season, the players were barely able to complete nine holes thanks to the weather.

On Thursday, they first had to complete round 1 before heading into round 2 for a 27-hole day in all.

Sneha, who has already won on the pro Tour, was 3-under through the front nine on Wednesday. She played the back nine in even par for a superb first round of 3-under 69 which had a total of six birdies and three bogeys.

In the second round though, she went 2-over 74 with bogeys on two of the par-5s and carded three birdies against five bogeys in all.

Jahanvi Bakshi, who had a 73 in the first round, brought in a 2-under 70 on Thursday that included two birdies and no bogeys.

The Gurgaon-based player, winner of her maiden pro title earlier in the year at this venue, looked consistent and confident at a course that has often proved a struggle even for the best.

Amateur rule

Another amateur Avani Prashanth, who had a 74 in the first round, seemed determined to make up for that as she made the turn in a superb 4-under 32.

However, the Bangalore girl went 3-over 39 on the back nine for a second round of 71. With a 36-hole total of 145, she is two shots behind Sneha and Jahanvi.

Seher Atwal, who had a front nine 35 on Wednesday, was also even for the second half though in the second round she dropped five shots to total a 77.

Trimann Saluja (75-79) had contrasting fortunes on DLF’s par-5 18^th. In the first round completed this morning she had an eagle but in the afternoon made a triple-bogey eight.

Hitaashee Bakshi (76-80) was sixth, while Gaurika Bishnoi (78-80) and Siddhi Kapoor (78-80) were tied for seventh place.

The final round will be played on Friday with amateurs Sneha and Avani battling professionals Jahanvi and Seher.

Round 2 tee times and scores

8:20 am: Disha Kavery 171; Lakhmehar Pardesi 168;

8:30 am: Rishika Muralidhar (A)168; Suchitra Ramesh 165

8:40 am: Rhea P. Saravanan 164; Jyotsana Singh 164; Nishna Patel (A) 162

8:50 am: Khushi Hooda (A) 162; Zara Anand (A) 162; Neha Tripathi 161

9 am: Afshan Fatima 160; Rhea Jha 160; Oviya Reddi 160

9:15 am: Khushi Khanijau 159; Siddhi Kapoor 158; Gaurika Bishnoi 158

9:25 am: Hitaashee Bakshi 156; Trimann Saluja 154; Seher Atwal 148

9:35 am: Avani Prashanth (A) 145; Jahanvi Bakshi 143; Sneha Singh (A) 143

Also read:  Gaurika Bishnoi heads field as Hero WPGT resumes at DLF