Women's Golf Association of India

Afshan maintains lead as 14^th Leg of Hero WPGT heads to a needle finish

Panchkula, Haryana, Nov 10:Afshan Fatima stumbled in the middle of the round but managed to stay in the lead at the end of the second round of the 14th Leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Panchkula Golf Club. Afshan, who held a two-shot lead after the first round, shot 2-over 74 and was even par 144 and one shot ahead of Ridhima Dilawari (73-72) who was tied third after the first round.

Chasing Afshan and Ridhima is teenager Hitaashee Bakshi, who made up for her first round 76 with a 2-under 70 in the second with a solid back nine that saw three birdies in the last eight holes. She moved up to tied third with amateur Vidhatri Urs (73-73), who had a rough front nine but a steady back nine.

Afshan has not won since the 13th leg of the 2018 season, though she has been runner-up three times, including twice in 2019. After leading for two days, she will be looking forward to ending the long title drought with Ridhima, Hitaashee and amateur Vidhatri on her heels. Jyotsana (80-67) and Seher Atwal (73-74) are also in the running, just three behind the leader.

Jyotsana Singh had a dramatic 13-shot improvement on her first round score of 8-over 80, as she carded the second day’s best score of 5-under 67 that saw her log four birdies in the last eight holes. Jyotsana shared the fifth place with Seher Atwal at 3-over 147.

Amateur Lavanya Jadon (76-72) and Khushi Khanijau (73-75) were tied for seventh at 4-over 148 and three players, Gaurika Bishnoi (72-78), Saaniya Sharma (73-77) and Siddhi Kapoor (78-72) were tied ninth. Siddhi had the only eagle of the day on the Par-5 12th hole.

Gaurika Bishnoi, who was second after the first day, slipped badly with six bogeys and a double bogey against two birdies. She has dropped to tied ninth at six-over 150.

Sneha Singh (78-75) continued to struggle and was tied 15th at 9-over 153.

The cut fell at 120-over 156 as 23 players made it to the final round.

Tee times for the third and final round of the 14th Leg of Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Panchkula Golf Club, Panchkula:

1 8:30 am: Ananya Datar 156 Anisha Agarwalla 156

2 8:40 am: Rhea Purvi S. 154 Riya Yadav 154 Asmitha Sathish 153

3 8:50 am: Neha Tripathi 153 Jia Kataria (A) 153 Ragini Navet (A) 153

4 9:00 am: Sneha Singh 153 Agrima Manral 152 Rhea Jha 152

5 9:15 am: Shweta Mansingh 151 Gaurika Bishnoi 150 Saaniya Sharma 150

6 9:25 am: Siddhi Kapoor 150 Khushi Khanijau 148 Lavanya Jadon (A) 148

7 9:35 am: Seher Atwal 147 Jyotsana Singh 147 Vidhatri Urs (A) 146

8 9:45 am: Hitaashee Bakshi 146 Ridhima Dilawari 145 Afshan Fatima 144