Vidhatri leads at Clover Greens by a shot after opening round

Vidhatri Urs played steady golf on the first day of the resumed Hero WPGT season at Hosur near Bangalore on Wednesday. Image courtesy WGAI.

By Rahul Banerji

Rookie pro Vidhatri Urs led the field at the ninth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour after the opening day at Clover Greens at Hosur near Bangalore on Wednesday.

The Mysore golfer, a top-three finisher in her two starts as a professional that she has won as an amateur, returned a solid 3 under par 68 at the undulating course, the WGAI said.

Vidhatri had five birdies against two bogeys and led a trio that included 2023 Order of Merit winner Sneha Singh, promising amateur Saanvi Somu, and emerging young star, Karishma Govind all on 2 under 69.

She birdied the third hole but dropped shots on the next two to turn in 1-over. On the back nine, Vidhatri birdied holes 10, 12, 15^, and 17 for her 68.

Major gain

Sneha had an eagle and three birdies against one bogey and a double. Saanvi Somu had a steady 69 with three birdies against one bogey.

Mannat Brar was 4 under through 15 holes, but bogey on hole 16 and a double on 17 pulled her back.

Shweta Mansingh had a good start with three birdies in the first five holes, but also dropped shots on the second and fifth holes.

Further bogeys on the par-5 ninth and 10^th took her over par, but a late birdie on the par-4 15^th hole brought her back to red figures at 1 under 70.

Agrima Manral had 10 pars in a row before two birdies on 11 and 13 and then dropped shots on 16 and 18.

Underlining the depth in Indian women’s golf, amateur Mannat Brar was tied with the seasoned Gaurika Bishnoi in fifth place on 1 under 70, as six players went under par on the first day at the Hosur layout.

Anvitha Narender, winner of the eighth leg, Shweta Mansingh and Agrima Manral were tied seventh on level par 71.

Hitaashee Bakshi, Amandeep Drall, Rhea Purvi Saravanan, Jahaanvie Walia and amateur Anuradha Chaudhuri were tied 10^th on 1 over 72 each. The entire field brought in single-digit scores.

Scores and round 2 tee times

8 am: Geetika Ahuja 80, Riya Yadav 79

8:10 am: Anahita Singh 79, Anaggha Venkatesh 78

8:20 am: Kriti Chowhan 78, Trimann Saluja 78, Gauri Karhade 76

8:30 am: Anisha Agarwalla 76, Chitrangada Singh 76, Ananya Garg 76

8:40 am: Vrinda Yadav 76, Sachika Singh 75, Jasmine Shekar 75

8:50 am: Aaradhya Shetty (A) 75, Nayanika Sanga 75, Gourabi Bhowmick 74

9:05 am: Khushi Khanijau 74, Ayushi Dutta (A) 74, Seher Atwal 74

9:15 am: Snigdha Goswami 74, Keerthana Rajeev (A) 73, Yaalisai Verma 73

9:25 am: Rhea Jha 73, Anuradha Chaudhuri (A) 72, Hitaashee Bakshi 72

9:35 am: Jahaanvie Walia 72, Amandeep Drall 72, Rhea Purvi S. 72

9:50 am: Agrima Manral 71, Anvitha Narender 71, Shweta Mansingh 71

10 am: Mannat Brar (A) 70, Gaurika Bishnoi 70, Karishma Govind 69

10:10 am: Saanvi Somu (A) 69, Sneha Singh 69, Vidhatri Urs 68

Also read: Repeat winners Hitaashee, Sneha set for Clover Greens event