Vani Kapoor holds one-shot lead at BGC leg of Hero WPGT

Rankings leader Vani Kapoor was the early showout on day one of the eighth Hero WPGT leg at Bangalore Golf Club on Wednesday. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji 

Merit leader Vani Kapoor fired six birdies, three on either side of the par-70 Bangalore Golf Club to card a 3 under par 67 in the opening round of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour event on Wednesday.

A three-time winner this year, Vani Kapoor recorded one of four sub-par rounds of the day, as she led Durga Nittur by one shot and amateurs Saanvi Somu and Zara Anand by two, the WGAI said.

Gaurika Bishnoi, Ananya Garg, Anvitha Narender and Karishma Govind were tied for fifth on level par 70.

Vani, whose streak of three wins was ended by Amandeep Drall last week, was in great form on the day. 

She opened with a bogey but birdied thrice in the next four holes. A bogey on hole eighth saw her make the turn at 1 under.

On the back nine, Vani parred the first four holes, before making gains on 14 and 16. A bogey on 17 was counted with a closing birdie for her round of 67.

Clean card

Bangalore’s Durga Nittur, who marked her 23rd birthday last week, had two birdies and no bogeys in her round of 68, making her the the only player not to drop a shot on the day.

Saanvi Somu picked two birdies in the last four holes for her 1 under 69.

Promising amateur Zara Anand, who has been in good form had  five birdies against one dropped shot after 14 holes before three bogeys in the last four holes saw her slip into a tie for third.

Ananya Garg had one birdie and one bogey, while Gaurika Bishnoi had four birdies, including three in a row from the sixth to the eighth, and four bogeys.

Anvitha Narender, like Vani, had six birdies but also dropped three bogeys and a triple. Karishma had two birdies on the front nine, but those were negated by a double bogey on the back nine.

Sachika Singh, Khushi Khanijau, Oviya Reddi, Seher Atwal and Ridhima Dilawari were tied for ninth on  2 over 72.

The surprise of the day was Mysore winner Amandeep Drall, who returned a 5 over 75 for tied 19th, and Rhea Purvi Saravanan, winner of the first leg, who had a 73 for tied 14th.

Scores and round 2 tee times

7:30 am; Shrestha Shukla 80, Riya Yadav 79, Anaggha Venkatesh 79

7:40 am: Keerthana Rajeev (A) 78, Yashita Raghav 78, Jahaanvie Walia 77

7:50 am: Gourabi Bhowmick 77, Yaalisai Verma 77, Geetika Ahuja 76

8 am: Kriti Chowhan 76, Neha Tripathi 76, Ceerat Kang (A) 76

8:15 am: Saanvi Reddy (A) 75, Lavanya Jadon 75, Amandeep Drall 75

8:25 am: Agrima Manral 75, Rhea Jha 75, Shweta Mansingh 75

8:35 am: Gauri Karhade 74, Vidhatri Urs 73, Rhea Purvi 73

8:45 am: Disha Kavery 73, Jasmine Shekar 73, Ridhima Dilawari 72

9 am: Seher Atwal 72, Oviya Reddi 72, Khushi Khanijau 72

9:10 am: Sachika Singh 72, Karishma Govind 70, Anvitha Narender 70

9:20 am: Gaurika Bishnoi 70, Ananya Garg 70, Zara Anand (A) 69

9:30 am: Saanvi Somu (A) 69, Durga Nittur 68, Vani Kapoor 67

Also read: Amandeep, Vani out to extend form at BGC leg of Hero WPGT