Golf Women: Hitaashee  takes sole lead with one round to go in 11^th leg of Hero WPGT

Harpal Singh Bedi

Hitaashee Bakshi, fired a late eagle on the 14^th hole and carded 4-under 68 to grab a one-shot in the 11^th Leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club here Thursday. 

Local Hyderabad star and opening round leader Sneha Singh, looking for her first win as a pro, hit a double bogey on the Par-5 seventh, as she returned 2-under 70 and dropped to second place.

Already a two -time winner this season, Hitaashee (69-68) is now seven-under 137 She birdied first, sixth and 11^th and then eagled the 14^th to go five-under for the day. A dropped shot on 16^th pulled her back by one but she is still one clear of the field.

Sneha (68-70) who trails her by one shot, had a birdie on third and then had a bogey on fourth to become even par. A double bogey on seventh was followed by a birdie on ninth and she turned in one-over 37. Birdies on 11^th, 14^th and 17^th helped her recover lost ground and card 70 to be placed second.

Pranavi Urs (70-71) with four birdies and three bogeys in a round of 71 lurks behind at 3-under 141 but the four-time winner this season is capable of a low score on the final day to turn the tables on the leading duo. 

Pranavi, seeking a fifth title of the season, is tied third alongside Nayanika Sanga (69-72). Nayanika, who was cruising with a fine 3-under for the front nine, stumbled with three bogeys in a matter of five holes on the back nine. She did recover slightly with a birdie on 17^th.

The next three spots are occupied by amateurs Keerthana R Nair (70-72), Heena Kang (71-72) and Vidhatri Urs (72-72), who are fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.

Khushi Khanijau (77-68) made a huge nine shot improvement from the first to the second round, and is tied eighth with Seher Atwal (70-75). Shweta Mansingh (69-78) is tenth.

The cut fell at 9-over 153 and 19 players will play the third and final round.