Harpal Singh Bedi
Gurugram, 11 March : Jahanvi Bakshi carded shot 3-under 69 in her second round and with an aggregate of for 4-under 140 total open up handy four-shot lead over younger sister Hitaashee (71-73) with one round to go in the of the fifth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour.at the DLF Golf & Country Club here on Thursday.
Jahanvi, who has yet to record her maiden title win on the Tour, had hit 71 in first round.
In the second round Hitaashee, who started in T-2nd place, had just one birdie on Par-5 15th, but dropped shots on Par-5 fourth and Par-4 17th.
It is the first time a pair of sisters are occupying the first two spots in a Hero WPGT event. Some of the other sisters playing on the Tour include Atwals, Mehar and Seher, and Badwals, Gursimar and Gurjot.
Other contender Vani Kapoor shot 73 after a first round 74 to lie at third and was three shots behind Hitaashee.
Pre tournament favourite Tvesa Malik, who began well with 71 on the first day slipped to 77 that included a triple-bogey on Par-5 eighth and a double-bogey on Par-4 ninth. She was at fourth spot with amateur Avani Prashanth (72-76).
Overnight leader Saaniya Sharma slipped from 70 on day returned dismal 89 on the second for a 19-shot swing and dropped to T-16.
Jahanvi, whose final round at the same course in the eighth leg of the Hero WPGT 2020 was a 69, was shooting her third straight sub-par round at the Gary Player layout. In the first round at one stage she was five-under through 12 holes before a triple- bogey on 13th and a bogey on 15th set her back and she finished at one-under 71.
In the second round, Jahanvi picked birdies on Par-5 fourth, Par-3 fifth and Par-4 ninth to turn in 3-under. A birdie on Par-5 15th made amends for the bogey a day earlier and made it 4-under, but she dropped a shot on Par-4 17th and closed with a par for 69.
“The last time I played here in the 8th leg I shot 3-under 69 so I knew it was possible. I tried to stay clear of the errors of yesterday. Last year was a rookie season for both of and Hitaashee won leg nine, so she inspired me. She is the youngest, so if she could I knew I could also win.” said the leader after her round.
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.Amateur Avani Prashanth battled hard despite a rough patch, when she dropped bogey-double bogey-double bogey between third and fifth. She made some amends with four birdies overall in her card of 76. With her first round 72, she is 4-over 148 and tied-fourth with experienced Tvesa Malik (71-77).
Lakhmehar Pardesi (76-75) is sixth, while Amandeep Drall (79-74) is seventh. Four players, Jyotsana Singh, Shagun Narain, amateur Vidhatri Urs and Oviya Reddi share the eighth place.