Vani takes one-shot lead on a tough scoring day in the 5th leg of Hero WPGT

Vani Kapoor. 

Khel Today Bureau

Gurugram: Vani Kapoor dropped two late bogeys but maintained focus to get a birdie on the final hole to take sole lead after the first day of the fifth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Classic Golf & Country Club. Vani, winner of the fourth leg last month, shot 2-under 70 and took a one-shot lead over her good friend Amandeep Drall (71).

Vani and Amandeep were the only players to shoot under par on an extremely windy day when scoring was tough.

Rhea Jha was placed sole third and she landed an eagle two on Par-4 eighth but had five bogeys and one birdie in her 74.

On a rather tough day for scoring, five players were tied for fourth with rounds of 4-over 76 and the group included amateur Ceerat Kang, Anahita Singh, Oviya Reddi, Neha Tripathi and Ridhima Dilawari.

Leader Vani had four birdies against two bogeys in the round. She opened with a par and then birdied the second and the third. Then followed a series of eight pars and another birdie on Par-4 12^th. She dropped back-to-back shots on the 16^th and the 17^th but closed with a birdie.

Amandeep Drall opened with a bogey but got the shot back on the fifth. She dropped another shot on the Par-4 13^th but closed with a birdie on the 14^th and the 18^th for a round of 71. Amandeep Drall, who went out in the first group with Gaurika Bishnoi in the morning, was the clubhouse leader till Vani overtook her.

Two-time winner this season, Sneha Singh had a rough day with a card of 5-over 77 that saw her pick just one birdie against six bogeys. She was tied ninth with Yaalisai Verma and Gauri Karhade.

Among some other well-known names, Gaurika Bishnoi, Jasmine Shekar and Shweta Mansingh carded 81 each and were tied for the 22^nd place.

Tee times for Round 2 of the fifth Leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Classic Golf and Country Club in Gurugram:

1. 7:20 am : Anaggha Venkatesh 86, Vrinda Yadav 85, Aahana Kashyap (A) 85;
2. 7:30 am : Disha Kavery 84, Ravjot K Dosanjh 84, Anvitha Narender 83;
3. 7:40 am : Prarthana Khanna (A) 83, Jia Kochhar 82, Riya Yadav 81;
4. 7:50 am : Jasmine Shekar 81, Khushi Khanijau 81, Sachika Singh 81;
5. 8:05 am : Keerthana Rajeev (A) 81, Shweta Mansingh 81, Gaurika Bishnoi 81;
6. 8:15 am : Shagun Narain 80, Anvvi Dahhiya (A) 80, Anisha Agarwalla 80;
7. 8:25 am : Astha Madan 80, Snigdha Goswami 79, Chitrangada Singh 79;
8. 8:35 am : Durga Nittur 79, Lavanya Jadon 79, Yashita Raghav 78;
9. 8:50 am : Kriti Chowhan 78, Sneha Singh 77, Gauri Karhade 77;
10. 9:00 am : Yaalisai Verma 77, Ridhima Dilawari 76, Neha Tripathi 76;
11. 9:10 am : Ceerat Kang (A) 76, Oviya Reddi 76, Anahita Singh 76;
12. 9:20 am : Rhea Jha 74, Amandeep Drall 71, Vani Kapoor 70.