Pranavi in pole position with 2-shot lead in second leg of Hero WPGT 2023

Khel Today Bureau

Mumbai: Pranavi Urs, the Hero Order of Merit winner in 2022, did not have the best of finishes with three bogeys on the back nine, but she still managed to grab a 2-shot lead going into the final round of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour 2023 at the BPGC, Mumbai.

Pranavi carded 1-over 70 to go with her first round 69 and is now the sole leader at even par 140 after sharing the lead with Amandeep Drall (69-74) at the end of the first day.

Afshan Fatima also had a wobbly back nine with three birdies and three bogeys but still carded 1-under 69, the only under par score of the second round. Afshan is now 2-over 142 and lying second, while first round co-leader Amandeep Drall is third at 3-over 143.

Amateur Vidhatri Urs (72-72) was fourth, while Vani Kapoor (73-73) was tied fifth alongside Shweta Mansingh (76-70) and amateur Nishna Patel (71-75). They were all 6-over 146.

Pranavi, who shot nine pars on the back nine on the first day, had birdies on fifth and 11^th and was 2-under after 12. Bogeys on 13^th, 15^th and Par-5 18^th cut into her lead and she finished at 71.

Amandeep Drall had a disappointing front nine with four bogeys and just one birdie on 16^th before finishing with yet another bogey for a 74.

Vani Kapoor, who like Amandeep and Seher is scheduled to go to Kenya early next month for the Ladies European Tour, opened with a birdie and then started her back nine with another. In between she bogeyed fifth and double bogeyed ninth and then bogeyed 11^th and 18^th for a second straight 73.

Disha Kavery, third overnight, slipped to eighth with a 77 in second round, while Sneha Singh, still looking for a first win as a professional, added 73 to her first round 75 and is ninth.

Seher Atwal, winner of the first leg, improved to 72 after her first round 77 and is tied ninth with Ridhima Dilawari (79-70), who also showed a nine-shot upward move. Also tied at ninth was Ananya Datar (75-74).

Tee times for the third and final round of the second leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour 2023 at the BPGC, Mumbai:

1. 8:30 am: Karishma Govind 157, Nayanika Sanga 156;
2. 8:40 am: Ishvari Prasanna 155, Jyotsana Singh 155, Lakhmehar Pardesi 154;
3. 8:50 am: Khushi Khanijau 153, Saaniya Sharma 153, Anisha Agarwalla 152;
4. 9:00 am: Rhea Jha 152, Asmitha Sathish 150, Jasmine Shekar 150;
5. 9:15 am: Ananya Datar 149, Seher Atwal 149, Ridhima Dilawari 149;
6. 9:25 am: Sneha Singh 148, Disha Kavery 147, Nishna Patel (A) 146;
7. 9:35 am: Vani Kapoor 146, Shweta Mansingh 146, Vidhatri Urs (A) 144;
8. 9:45 am: Amandeep Drall 143, Afshan Fatima 142, Pranavi Urs 140;