Vani Kapoor extends Kensville lead

Edited by Anand Datla

Ahmedabad, 8 January 2014: Overnight leader Vani Kapoor carded 1 over 73 to consolidate her lead in the second round of the season’s opening event at the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour 2015. She showed patience and grit beyond her years as she raced to the top, four shots clear of second placed Smriti Mehra and Neha Tripathi at the INR 7,00,000 event being played at the Kensville Golf Club and Country Club, Ahmedabad. Smriti and Neha are tied second with an identical score of 153.

Vani started cautiously and carded a bogey on the 2^nd hole with birdie on the 8^th hole to play an even par front nine. She carded two more birdies on the 14^th and 17^th holes, with three bogies on the 10^th, 12^th and 15^th holes to end her day with a total score of 149 after 36 holes.

Kolkata golfers Smriti Mehra and Neha Tripathi are tied in the second position behind Delhi youngster Vani Kapoor. Smriti played controlled golf but bogies on the 2^nd, 5^th and 16^th holes marred her score line. She finished with a score of 3 over 75.  Neha Tripathi had an indifferent start and carded three bogies on the 1^st, 2^nd and 4^th holes. A double bogey on the 5^th hole added to her woes, but she made a comeback with three birdies on the 8^th, 9^th and 12^th holes. She faltered again with bogies on 11^th and 17^th holes which didn’t help her cause. Both Smriti and Neha finished with an identical score of 153 after the second round.

Shweta Galande and Pallavi Jain are tied fourth with a total score of 155. Pune’s Shweta Galande carded five bogies on the 1^st, 2^nd, 7^th, 12^th and 18^th holes, with a lone birdie on the 8^th hole, to take her day’s score to 4 over 76. Jaipur golfer and overnight leader Pallavi Jain could not keep the momentum going and played a birdie-less round of 7 over 79 which included five bogies on the 1^st, 3^rd, 12^th, 16^th and 17^th holes, and a double bogie on the 9^th hole.

Chandigarh’s Amandeep Drall played a round of 2 over 74 to be placed joint sixth along with Kapurthala golfer Gursimar Badwal with identical scores of 156. Ankita Tiwana, Saaniya Sharma and Preetinder Kaur are placed eighth, ninth and tenth respectively after 36 holes.