Guntas youngest Indian to make cut at WAAP, joins Mannat and Saanvi for weekend

Guntas Kaur Sandhu in the second round of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific.

Khel Today Bureau

Da Nang, Vietnam: Guntas Kaur Sandhu, who took a break from her ninth standard examinations back home, passed a different kind of a test, as she became the youngest Indian to make the cut at the elite Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championships. Guntas, who turned 14 on February 2, is making her debut at the WAAP, which began in 2018.

Playing in extremely windy conditions on a demanding layout, Guntas was often aggressive and played without fear at the picturesque but challenging Hoiana Shores Golf Club. The tactics paid off for the tall youngster, who is just a month past her 14^th birthday, shot 73-71 and made the cut comfortably in T-39^th place.

Three of the six Indians made the weekend. They were led by Mannat Brar (67-76) who survived a disastrous start and a rough finish to be 1-over in Tied-30^th.

The other two were Guntas (73-71) at 2-over in Tied-39^th and Saanvi Somu (72-74), playing her second WAAP, was 4-over and on the cutline at T-50.

Mannat, opened with a double bogey and a triple bogey in her first two holes and closed with a bogey and a double bogey. In between she had three birdies. Playing her fourth WAAP she finally made her first cut. Guntas made the cut on her debut and Saanvi made the weekend for the second straight time.

The other three Indians, Heena Kang (76-73), Zara Anand (76-74) and Kashika Misra (78-79) missed the cut, which fell at 4-over with 52 players making the grade.

Right at the top of the leaderboard was Korea’s Hong Sumin (65-67) at 10-under with Australia’s Jazy Roberts (66-68) at 8-under tied with Malaysia’s Jeneath Wong (65-69. World No. 9 amateur Soomin Oh (68-67) at 7-under was fourth.

The most impressive Indian player of the day was the Guntas, who has little experience of ‘Links-like’ conditions with strong wind. “It was so difficult to play in such strong wind, but I loved the challenge,” said Guntas, whose father-cum-caddie, Gurpreet, does not even play golf.

The elated father said, “We are just happy she loves the sport and the whole family supports her,”

Guntas added, “I started playing golf at the age of about seven and I train with Mahesh Sir in Chandigarh. Feroze Grewal, who I call ‘Mamu’, encouraged me to play golf and he has also played for India.”

“The only time I have played in something like this was in Scotland when I played in US Kids European Championships in Under-8 many years ago. I was second runner-up.”

She was also grateful to her school, Delhi Public School, for granting her leave to play this event. “I have given two exams and they have allowed me to give the rest of the exams when I go back. I try to study when I get time from practice,” she added with a laugh.

When she came to the 14^th tee, Guntas was 2-over for the round and four-over for the tournament and on the cut line. She played the tough final stretch well for birdies on the Par-3 14^th and the Par-5 18^th for an even par 71, as less than one-fourth of the field of 94 broke par.

Mannat, who was T-9 after the first day, also showed some remarkable fighting qualities after beginning with a disastrous double-bogey and a triple bogey on her first two holes. The 18-year-old Pune-based player, rallied with a string of six pars and then added birdies on the Par-4 ninth, Par-4 13^th and the Par-4 15th.

Just as it seemed she had worked her way back into the Top-20, Mannat was blown away by the wind for a bogey on the sea-facing 17^th and finished the 18^th with a three-putt for a double bogey. She finished with 76 but, the reigning All-India Ladies Amateur winner, said she has two more days to make up.

Saanvi (72-74) closed with a birdie on the 18^th and then waited for more than four hours to find out her fate as she ultimately squeezed in.