Neha Tripathi sets the pace in R1

Report by Anand Datla

September 24, 2014: Neha Tripathi took a two shot lead over Sharmila Nicollet after an intense first round at the Prestige Golfshire in Bengaluru. The 12th leg of the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour saw some brilliant golf mixed with expensive misses through a first round that saw only three women break par. Shweta Galande was the only other woman to produce a sub par round, after she made a 71 to end the first day in third.

Neha scored a string of birdies – 6th and 8th on the front nine and even though she was only one over after the first nine holes, a brilliant back nine helped her snatch a handy lead at the end of the first round. The Kolkata golfer shot three straight birdies from the 10th before adding two more on the 14th and 16th to sign off with a 68. Neha needed a mere 31 shots to complete her back nine.

Sharmila, in contrast, had a better run on the front side before slipping off the lead on her way to the clubhouse. The Bengaluru lady, enjoying tremendous support from a partisan crowd, raced through the outward nine in just 33 shots, including three straight birdies from the 7th hole. But her finish was decidedly poor, giving away three bogeys in the final five holes to settle for a two under 70.

Shweta fought back in brilliant fashion – after eight pars and a lone bogey on the front nine, she produced four birdies on her way back to finish with a solid 71. Much is expected of Vani Kapoor these days, but she had to content with a 73 suffering the effects of a 39 in the first nine holes. She did well on the inward nine, making two birdies and par on the remaining holes to close out at one over par.

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