November 12, 2013. Gurbani Singh, the country’s top lady amateur golfer, did her growing reputation no harm, carding a three under par 67, to lead the field at the end of day one of the USHA Eastern India Ladies & Junior Girls Amateur Golf Championship 2013, which got underway at city’s Tollygunge Golf Club course. Gurbani, who skipped two Indian Golf Union (IGU) Ladies golf tour events in the past month, but still leads the Order of Merit, showed no signs of rust as she sank four birdies on the day to go with one bogey, to finish the day, two shots clear of Gursimar Badwal who shot a two under 69.
Theirs was the only two sub-par rounds for the day. Gursimar also had three birdies on the day, but a couple of bogeys on the 9th and 10th holes, put paid to any hopes she might have had for a share of the lead.
Former IGU Ladies tour winner Gauri Monga finished in third position registering a score of one over 71. She had a bogey count of three for the day and needs to watch that if she harbours any hope for the title. The challenger to the merit list leader, Bangalore based Aditi Ashok returned a sedate two over 72, to end up at joint fourth position with Tvesa Malik. All the three along with Gursimar will feel that they still have a good chance of upstaging Gurbani over the next 36 holes of golf left to be played.
Others prominent players in the top ten included the likes of Astha Madan (three over 73), Seher Atwal (four over 74) and Sifat Alag (six over 76). An interesting second day’s play lies ahead of us.
