Avani and Sneha make decent starts in Sweden

Avani Prashanth. 

Khel Today Bureau

Gothenburg, Sweden: Avani Prashanth produced a birdie-birdie finish to shoot one-over 72 and was Tied-21st after the first day at the Hills Open, firing four-under-par (67) at Hills Golf & Sports Club. Also tied at 21st was Sneha Singh (72) and the two were the best among the seven who teed off this week in windy and testing conditions.

New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori led the way in the opening round firing four-under-par (67) and she was one ahead of seven players who shared the second place.

Among the other Indians Hitaashee Bakshi, playing in the same group as Sneha shot 74 and was Tied-48, while Pranavi Urs (76) was Tied-71st. Amandeep Drall (77) at T-86, Tvesa Malik (79) at T-107 and Vani Kapoor (82) at T-123 were way behind.

Avani, starting from the first, had a rough start with three bogeys against one birdie in the first six holes. She rallied well with a string of eight pars. Another bogey on the 15th made it 3-over for her, but she birdied the last two holes for a respectable 72 in tough conditions.

Sneha had four birdies against five bogeys in her 72.

The 26-year-old Kobori set the early pace with a steady front nine with one birdie on the sixth hole, but put on an impressive show on the back nine, with three straight birdies on 11, 12, and 13. She then dropped a shot on 14, but bounced back with a birdie on the next hole.

A total of seven players sit in a tie for second place, including three players from Sweden, who all fired opening rounds of 68 (-3). This included Swede amateur Meja Ortengren, compatriots Linda Wessberg and Lisa Pettersson, Norway’s Madelene Stavnar, England’s Alice Hewson, France’s Nastasia Nadaud, and Spain’s Luna Sobron Galmes.

One shot further back are a total of three players who all sit in a tie for ninth place on two-under par, including Australia’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Wales’ Darcey Harry, and Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad.

The field has 132 players who will play the 54-hole stroke play event which has a purse of Euros 300,000 at the 6,064 yard course at Hills Club.