July 07, 2017: Rookie sensation Tvesa Malik held on to her narrow to pull off her maiden victory as a professional. Tvesa out duelled Gaurika Bishnoi for a memorable victory in the seventh leg of the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour. Tvesa had already won her first WGAI title as an amateur in 2015, when she took the 16th leg in New Delhi.
Gursimar Badwal and Saaniya Sharma finished in joint third place, six strokes behind the leader.
Tvesa started the week at three over after a 75 in first round left her trailing Gaurika, who shot an even 72 on Wednesday. But Tvesa recovered in the middle round, posting a fine one under score of 71 to emerge leader.
Meanwhile, Gaurika slipped into second place on Thursday, when it was her turn to shoot a 75.
The duo matched each other stroke for stroke on a final day filled with drama and thrills. The two were even on the final day, soon as Tvesa sank a bogey on the second hole.
Gaurika took the lead when she fired a birdie at the 160 yard fifth hole. Tvesa bounced back with back to back birdies at the 7th and 8th to stay even with her opponent.
As nerves started to jangle, both players conceded faltered just after the turn. The two conceded a pair bogeys in the first three holes on the back nine.
In the end it was Tvesa’s birdie at the par-4 15th hole that separated the two women. Gaurika finished her card with six straight pars.
Sonam Chugh played the round of the day, shooting three birdies on her way to a fine 70. But 85 and 82 in the first two rounds meant that she could only finish 14th in a field of 20 golfers.
Pranavi Urs and Shweta Mansingh were the best amateurs this week. They finished fifth and sixth respectively. Sharmila Nicollet started the week as favourite to win, after her return from the Shoprite Classic on the LPGA Tour.
But scores 76-75-77 meant that she was stuck in the middle of the table in a tie for seventh with Smriti Mehra.
Ayesha Kapur and Ankita Kedlaya, another amateur, rounded off the top ten in an intense tournament at the Eagleton Resort in Bengaluru.
