Mahreen, Kartik and Lavanya off to fine starts in US Kids World Teen Champs

Mahreen Bhatia, lying third in Girls 14 at US Kids Golf World Teen Championship.

Khel Today Bureau 

Pinehurst, US: India’s Mahreen Bhatia, Kartik Singh and Lavanya Gupta gave the Indian contingent a flying start in the US Kids World Teen Championships as they were placed in the Top-five after the first day of the Championships in Pinehurst.

Mahreen, who finished second at the US Kids European Championships, two months ago, once again opened her campaign with a round of 3-under 69 at the Pinehurst No. 6 course. Competing in the Girls 14 category, Mahreen began with a bogey but quickly made up with birdies on the third and eighth and turned in 1-under. She bogeyed the 12^th and then came a strong run with three birdies on 15^th, 17^th and the 18^th which saw her finish at 69. She trailed Macie Rasmussen (67) and Maria Isabella Errichetto (68).

Kartik Singh, who recently won the FCG Callaway World Junior 2023 Championships, also had a fine stretch run on the back nine of the Longleaf course in the Boys 13 category. He birdied 13^th, 14^th, eagled 16^th, and again birdied 18^th. Overall, he had four birdies and an eagle against three bogeys. Ajalawich Anantasethakul (65) and Rory Asselta (67) were lying in top two places, while Kartik was tied for third with American Vladimir Parker and Thai Poramit Sangmanee

The other two Indians, Vihaan Jain (76) and Arshvant Srivastava (80) had a rough start in Boys 13.

The third Indian in Top-5 after the first day was Lavanya Gupta, who played a steady round of even par 72 at Pinehurst No. 5 and tied fifth in Girls 15-18 Category. She had one birdie on 16^th and one bogey on the 14^th. Dagmar Soerensen of Denmark led with a round of 70, while three players shot 71 each.

Among other Indians, Udai Aditya Middha and Ranveer Mitroo were tied 15^th with cards of 2-over 74 each in Boys 14 at Pinehurst No. 8, while Tejas Mishra (76) was Tied-37^th.

In Boys 15-18 Ranveer Singh Dhupia shot 4-over 76 and in Girls 13 at Pine Needles Asara Sawhney (83) was T-33.

Ten Indians are playing in the US Kids Golf World Teen Championships and another 12 will tee up at US Kids Worlds for Boys and Girls six to 12 next week. Most have them have qualified through the Indian Local Tour or  the European Championships.

The U.S. Kids Golf World Teen Championship is recognised as a ranked event for the Junior Golf Scoreboard and the American Junior Golf Association besides allowing the players to gain World Amateur Golf Ranking points.

World class players emerging from the US Kids include the likes of World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, two-time Major winners Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas, Sahith Theegala among others while women stars include Lexi Thompson and the latest women’s Major winner, Allisen Corpuz, who won the US Women’s Open last month, is a three time winner and twice runner-up at US Kids. Aditi Ashok, India’s top woman pro, and Avani Prashanth, India’s top amateur also played with distinction at US Kids events.