Vani cruises to her third successive win at DLF leg of Hero WPGT

Vani Kapoor receives her winner’s cheque from DLF vice-president Tusch Daroga at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon on Thursday. Image courtesy WGAI,

By Rahul Banerji

Vani Kapoor achieved a hat-trick of titles despite a bogey-bogey finish in the sixth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at her home DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon on Thursday.

The in-form player, now with three wins and two runner-up finishes, shot a closing 1 over par 73 on the challenging DLF course to win by three shots, the WGAI said.

Vani had cards of 72, 72 and 73 for a 1 over 217 while amateur Anvvi Dahhiya produced her best finish on the Hero WPGT with cards of 71-77-74 for a total of 220 and a solid runner-up finish.

Vidhatri Urs last achieved Vani’s feat of three wins in a row in 2024, when she won the ninth, 10^th and 11^th leg of the Tour. Thursday’s result also catapulted Vani to the top of the Hero Order of Merit.

The DLF golfer won the Order of Merit three times in a row from 2014 to 2016 but has not topped the Merit list since then, as she has often been occupied with international engagements.

The current run will also be a confidence boost ahead of her return to international events.

Mid-round challenge

Anvvi raised hopes of giving Vani a run for her money midway through the homeward nine with back-to-back birdies.

However, she gave away those gains with a double bogey on the 18^th to allow Vani the luxury of winning by three shots despite two closing bogeys.

Starting with a two-shot lead Vani had four straight pars followed by a birdie on the Par-3 fifth. She however dropped a shot before the turn but made up with consecutive birdies on holes 10 and 11.

A double bogey on 14, where Anvvi birdied, created a three-shot swing for the amateur, but Vani picked up another shot on 15, as did Anvvi. Vani bogeyed the last two, while Anvvi dropped a double on the last.

First round leader Lavanya Jadon rounded off the week with a 75 that Included a triple bogey on the Par-5 fourth hole.

Slipping up

The Gurgaon girl had three birdies, three bogeys and the triple to finish on 6 over 222 in sole third place, while rankings leader Sneha Singh had a 5 over 77 for fourth on 223. Sneha had just one birdie against four bogeys and a double bogey.

Gaurika Bishnoi (76) was fifth while amateur Keya K. Badugu shot the day’s best round of 71 to finish sole sixth.

Gauri Karhade (75) and Amandeep Drall (79) were tied for seventh place and Ridhima Dilawari (78) and Anvitha Narender (77) rounded off the Top ten.

As Vani took over the lead in the Hero Order of Merit with Rs.8,54,000, Sneha was pushed to second with Rs. 7,82,567. Amandeep Drall is third with Rs.4,92,300. Kriti Chowhan Rs.4,57.434 and Lavanya Jadon Rs.4,49,267 are fourth and fifth.

Also read: Vani back on track for a title hat-trick at DLF leg of Hero WPGT