Neha Tripathi and Tvesa Malik in joint lead on day two

Local player Neha Tripathi and amateur Tvesa Malik finished with identical totals of 140 after the second round to share the lead in the fourth leg of the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour at Tollygunge Club here on Thursday. Overnight leader Afshan Fatima could not sustain the momentum and dropped to third place with a card of 2 over 72 on the second day.

Also Check Out: Afshan Fatima’s Game

Neha Tripathi had a shaky start and played a birdie-less front-nine with a double bogey on the 1st hole. However, the professional from Kolkata grew in confidence as the day progressed and fired five quick birdies on the 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th holes, along with a bogey on the 16th to finish the day with a card of 2 under 68. Her tally of five birdies was unmatched by any other player. Neha, who claimed her first title of the season last week, will push hard for the victory tomorrow. Amateur Tvesa Malik played with control and carded two birdies on the 9th and 15th holes, with a lone bogey on the 8th to finish with a score of 1 under 69.

Jaipur’s Afshan Fatima had an indifferent start and carded a triple bogey on the 1st hole. She dropped three more shots on the 5th, 11th and 17th holes, but birdies on the 8th, 9th, 10th and 13th holes helped her to repair the damage and ensured that she remained in the leader group with a total score of 142 after 36 holes.

Kolkata’s Smriti Mehra, Pune’s Shweta Galande, overseas player Kiran Matharu and Kapurthala’s Gursimar Badwal are all tied for the fourth position with identical totals of 146 after the second round. Shweta played a par round of 70 with two birdies on the 10th and 14th holes and an equal number of bogeys on the 3rd and 7th. Kiran Matharu’s card of 4 over 74 included six bogeys on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 10th, 17th and 18th holes and two birdies on the 9th and 14th. Kolkata’s Smriti Mehra carded three bogeys on the 4th, 10th and 13th holes with a lone birdie on the 16th to finish with a score of 2 over 72 in the second round. Gursimar Badwal carded 5 over 75 with three bogeys on the 1st, 7th and 17th holes along with a triple on the 7th. She carded the lone birdie of her round on the 14th hole.

Delhi’s Mehar Atwal and Bengaluru’s Trisha Sunil are in eighth and ninth position respectively.