Bangalore: Kolkata`s Neha Tripathi and Ankita Tiwana of Delhi displayed some fine form to lead the field on the first day of the ninth leg of Hero Women`s Professional Golf Tour 2014, here.
Both Ankita and Neha finished the first round with an identical score of even par 72, which was also the day`s best score.
The INR 5,00,000 event is currently being played at Eagelton Golf Resort and will culminate on Friday.
Neha`s front nine was a mixed bag. She began with a bogey on the 1st hole, but quickly steadied herself with a birdie on the 2nd hole, only to repeat the pattern with another bogey on the 4th and a birdie on the 6th hole. She played the back nine more cautiously, with just a bogey and a birdie apiece on the 14th and 16th holes, respectively.
Ankita Tiwana, too, had a good day at the office, carding a total of three bogeys on the 1st, 10th and 15th holes and three birdies on the 14th, 17th and 18th holes. None of the golfers could card an under-par score today.
Delhi amateur Mehar Atwal once again proved her mettle as she finished third after the first round with a score of two over 74, with four bogeys on the 8th, 9th,10th and 12th holes and two birdies on the 16th and 18th holes.
Pune`s Shweta Galande and Kapurthala golfer Gursimar Badwal were tied at the fourth place with identical scores of three over 75.
Shweta made several unforced errors through the round with four bogeys on the 5th, 6th, 7th and 18th holes and a double bogey on the second hole. She carded a total of three birdies on the 10th, 12th and 17th holes.
Gursimar, on the other hand, carded a total of four bogeys on the 4th, 7th, 12th and 18th holes, and had just a lone birdie on the 11th hole.
Delhi amateur Millie Saroha was placed 6th with a score of four over 76 after 18 holes. Her birdieless round comprised four bogeys on the 1st, 5th, 7th and 11th holes.
Current Hero Order of Merit leader and Delhi golfer Vani Kapoor has been off colour recently, and her performance in the first round today was no different. She was tied seventh with local girls and amateurs - Anisha Padukone and Ankita Kedlaya - with identical scores of five over 77.
Vani`s indifferent round consisted of five bogeys on the 1st, 6th, 7th, 10th and 11th holes and a double bogey on the 12th hole. She could only card two birdies on the 3rd and 16th holes.
Anisha carded two birdies on the 1st and 4th holes, but had a string of bogeys on the 3rd, 5th, 9th, 13th and 14th holes. She also carded a double bogey on the 10th hole.
Ankita also had a disappointing day, carding two bogeys on the 2nd and 7th holes along with a triple bogey on the 6th and a double bogey on the 16th hole. She could card only a lone birdie on the 18th hole.
Chandigarh`s Saaniya Sharma finished the day at 10th with a score of six over 78, with nine bogeys and just three birdies.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, July 16, 2014, 18:39
