Vani in three-way tie for lead in Mysore leg of Hero WPGT

Vani Kapoor (from left), Amandeep Drall and Vidhatri Urs were the leading trio after the first round at Mysore’s Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club on Thursday. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji

Event favourite Vani Kapoor held a share of the lead in the first round of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour event at Mysore’s Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club on Thursday.

Vani, who has not finished below second on the domestic tour in her last five starts, came into the seventh keg of the season off three straight wins before the summer break, the WGAI said.

On Thursday, Vani shot a 1 over par 71 to lead alongside former Hero Women’s Indian Open runner-up, Amandeep Drall, and local star, Vidhatri Urs on the rain-hit JWGC course.

With more rain expected and preferred lies in use, the players will go out in a shotgun start for the second round on Friday morning.

Rhea Purvi Saravanan, who won the opening leg this season, was fourth with a 2 over 72.

Mixed bag

Vani had two birdies against three bogeys on the day as did Vidhatri. Amandeep parred the front nine and then had two birdies against three bogeys on her second nine.

Rhea dropped back-to-back bogeys on the front nine and then a double on the par-4 11th but recovered some ground with birdies on holes 16 and 17.

Jasmine Shekar was the only player to play one of the stretches under par. She was 1 under 35 with two birdies against one bogey on the front nine but dropped four shots on the return journey.

Jasmine, among the winners last year, was fifth with a 3 over 73 while Durga Nittur shot a 74 to be sixth.

Khushi Khanijau was sole seventh on 75 and Karishma Govind, Ridhima Dilawari, Neha Tripathi and Lavanya Jadon were tied for eighth on 6 over 76s.

Round 1 scores and round 2 start tees (7.30 am)

Tee 18: Asitha Ashok (A) 85, Disha Kavery 83, Geetika Ahuja 83

Tee 14: Rhea Jha 82, Yuktha Janardhan (A) 81, Ananya Garg 80

Tee 12: Anisha Agarwalla 80, Seher Atwal 80, Shrestha Shukla 79

Tee 10: Astha Madan 79, Agrima Manral 79, Gauri Karhade 79

Tee 9: Yaalisai Verma 79, Jahaanvie Walia 79, Oviya Reddi 78

Tee 7: Shweta Mansingh 78, Lavanya Jadon 76, Neha Tripathi 76

Tee 5: Ridhima Dilawari 76, Karishma Govind 76, Khushi Khanijau 75

Tee 3: Durga Nittur 74, Jasmine Shekar 73, Rhea Purvi Saravanan 72

Tee 1: Amandeep Drall 71, Vidhatri Urs 71, Vani Kapoor 71

Also read: Vani in line for four-in-a-row feat at Mysore leg of Hero WPGT