Smriti Mehra snatches lead in Pune

Report by Anand Datla

March 04, 2015: On a topsy turvy second day at the Poona Club Golf Course, it was Smriti Mehra who turned in a terrific performance on the return stretch to gain a four shot lead. The 42 year old was struggling at 4-over through eleven holes before rising from the deep to swamp the field with a 70. Incredibly, Mehra, who won last week at the Oxford Golf Club is now in prime position to take her second title in a row. Neha Tripathi is lying second after posting 73 in the second round.

Three women were at 148, five behind the leader. Gursimar Badwal, Sharmila Nicollet and overnight leader Saaniya Sharma took varying routes to reach an identical spot ahead of the final round.

Badwal was the best of the three women – making an even par 71 to recover from the 77 she made in the first round. She was the only woman other than Mehra to have made par or better on the day.

Nicollet found consistency if not excellence. She repeated with a 74 that included four bogeys and two birdies, which came at 10 and 11 to plant herself five shots adrift of Mehra.

Two bogeys and an even number of double bogeys on the front nine meant that Saaniya got off to a tumultuous start on the second day. At the end of the day, her colourful card contained four bogeys, two double bogeys and three birdies in her six over score of 77.

Vani Kapoor slipped to sixth after she made 76 in the second round. Matters may have been worse for the young golfer, after she took off in the wrong direction – a bogey at the second and a triple bogey – 7 at the next hole put paid to her hopes of contending this week.

Shweta Galande, who shot 76 in the first round, made 73 today to join Vani in a tie for sixth ahead of the final round on Thursday.