July 10, 2014. Amateurs have taken centre stage at the Hero-KGA Women’s Pro Golf Championship 2014. Raksha Phadke and Anisha Padukone are leading Vani Kapoor by two strokes, going into the final round tomorrow. Both golfers have made similar progress – 71-73 – in the first two rounds, while Kapoor has only managed 72-74 at the KGA course in Bengaluru.
Sharmila Nicollet and Nikita Arjun are also lying T3 with Vani, after posting similar scores of 73 in each of the rounds so far. Sharmila had to endure three bogeys in the second round, while Nikita made four bogeys – including back to back bogeys at 14 & 15 on their way to another 73 today.
The Karnataka Golf Association course is a par-72 that measures 6,141 yards. Raksha made three birdies and two bogeys – one on either stretch to settle for a one-under 71 on the day. Anisha had a far more colourful round – five birdies, a double at the par-3 eighth and two other bogeys – in an undulating round to enjoy a share of the lead.
Kapoor was two under through six holes, but gave it back to the course with bogeys at nine and eleven – both par-5s. Overnight leader Shweta Galande slipped down the pecking order, following her 71 in the first with an extravagant 76 on Thursday to slip to 147, three off the leaders.
Ankita Tiwana is lying seventh, perhaps out of contention after needing 38 on either side to complete her second round. She is six off the pace and one shot better than Neha Tripathi and Pallavi Jain who have transposed scores to reach the final round at 151.
Neha was seven shots worse off than Pallavi on Wednesday when she made a forgettable 79 to 72 from the latter. But Pallavi returned the favour by swapping places with Neha in the second round by doing the exact reverse.
With only three strokes separating the inconsistent field of top six golfers, Friday could witness a dramatic battle to find the winner.
Report by Anand Datla
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