Vani Kapoor leads at Kensville Golf

Report by Anand Datla

January 07, 2015: Vani Kapoor and Pallavi Jain gained a narrow one shot advantage over Neha Tripathi after an engrossing first round at the Kensville Golf Club in Ahmedabad. The women were out in force for the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour event in the capital city. With the women struggling to gain control over the course, four over was enough for Vani and Pallavi to retire to the clubhouse after making 76 in the first round. Pallavi was just one back in third with a five over 77.

Vani gave away three shots in the first three holes – a double bogey on the second and another bogey at the next hole causing the damage. But she steadied her boat quickly to prevent further damage and reach the turn on the strength of a birdie at the 8th hole. She completed her work for the day, conceding just one more bogey which came at the par-4 13th hole.

Half of all the birdies scored in the round came off Pallavi’s bag of clubs. She made three birdies on the outward stretch, before adding another on the 17th hole, but Pallavi also bled eight bogeys to settle for a 76. Neha made three bogeys on the front nine and added two more on her way back to sign off with a 77. She is lying in third.

Veteran Smriti Mehra was right in the mix after finishing two stroked behind the leaders on the first day. Shweta Galande was lying fifth after a 79 on Wednesday. Galande made six straight even pars to start her round, but made a hat-trick of bogeys from the 7th to slip down the order.

On a day when there were only eight birdies in all, Ankita Tiwana accounted for one when she made two at the fifth hole, but the rest of her round was not too impressive. Tiwana is lying in sixth after needing an 80 to navigate the harmless Ahmedabadi course.