January 04, 2016: The ink hasn’t dried yet on the honours list for 2015, which was one of the most memorable seasons on the WGAI, featuring as many as 11 winners. The Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour is all set for a new beginning in 2016 at the Kensville Golf & Country Club on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. The first leg of the tour will be played from 5th to 7thJanuary at the par 72 golf course. The INR 7,00,000 event will see Vani Kapoor lead a field of 13 professional golfers vying for honours.
Delhi’s Vani Kapoor won five out of 18 events last year with total earnings of INR 17,43,900 to claim the Hero Player of the Year award for the second year in succession. She would be eager to continue with her stellar form in 2016 and will start as firm favourite at the Kensville Golf & Country Club. Vani is expected to face stiff competition from Panchkula professional Amandeep Drall. Amandeep was impressive in her rookie year, winning two titles with total earnings of INR 13,59,935 and in the process winning the Hero Rookie of the Year award. She will look to make an early impact in the first event of the year.
The Kolkata duo of Neha Tripathi and Smriti Mehra, who finished third and fourth respectively in the Hero Order of Merit 2015, are expected to give Vani and Amandeep a run for their money. Smriti won two titles last year, while Neha Tripathi, who had a quiet year by her own standards, will be eager to make amends in the new season. Other golfers to look out for are Delhi’s Ankita Tiwana, Chandigarh’s Saaniya Sharma, Pune’s Shweta Galande and overseas player Kiran Matharu.
The first leg will also see Delhi’s Mehak Sharma making her debut as a professional, adding to a growing list of professionals in the country.
The picturesque par 72 golf course is ready to play host to its second women’s professional event and is all set to test the mental and physical fitness of the players.
