Raksha Phadke wins KGA Championship

July 11, 2014. Amateur Raksha Phadke (73-71-72) pipped Vani Kapoor (74-72-72) by two strokes to clinch the Hero-KGA Women’s Pro Golf Championship, held at the Karnataka Golf Association course in Bengaluru. With none of the contenders threatening a big round, it only took a 73 for Phadke to edge the title from Kapoor. Anisha Padukone finished T2 with Vani after scoring one-over 73 in the final round today.

Raksha, one of only three players to have broken par this week, was steady through the day. She took 36 on either side to complete her final round, which was punctuated by a birdie and bogey each on her outward and inward journey.

Vani was four over for the day, by the time she got through the 14th hole. But she came up good in the clutch moments, hoisting herself to T2 with birdies at the 16th and 17th holes to sign off with a flourish.

Anisha had a share of the lead going into the final round. But three bogeys on the front nine set her back, leaving her with plenty to scramble on the final stretch. She did just that and more, reaching the clubhouse in 35 to gain a share of second place.

Nikita Arjun was looking ominous, when she kept her card clean through the first nine holes. Unfortunately though, her round unraveled when she surrendered a hat-trick of bogeys from the 10th to slip away from the main narrative. Eventually, Arjun made a 75, which was still enough to leave her in fourth place.

Sharmila Nicollet had double bogeys at the 10th and 14th, but a disappointing 77 was still enough to give the golfer a fourth place finish. There were three women who tied for sixth – Saaniya Sharma, Neha Tripathi and Shweta Galande posted 72, 75 & 79 respectively to finish ten shots behind the winner.

Amateurs Meher Atwal and Ankita Kedlaya rounded off the top ten. It took a 76 and 74 from these two golfers to earn a modicum of respect from a 16 strong field, that was in action in Bengaluru this week.

Report by Anand Datla

Follow @SportASmile