Neha stays on top, Gursimar T-2nd on Day 2

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 23

Kapurthala’s Gursimar Badwal carded an even-par 70 to claim the second spot on the second day of the 15th leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, even as overnight leader Neha Tripathi consolidated her position at the top with a second successive round of 2-under 68.

Going into the third round, the Kolkata golfer is nine shots clear of Gursimar and Gurugram’s Gaurika Bishnoi, who scored a 4-over 70 today to share the second spot.  

Neha (68-68) started brilliantly at the Palms Golf Club and Resort in Lucknow, with two birdies on the opening two holes. She followed it up with two more birdies on fourth and seventh holes to make the turn at 4-under 30. She was playing steady after the turn, until a hat-trick of bogeys from 15th to 17th damaged her prospects of stretching the lead to double figures. However, a birdie on the 18th prevented further damage.

Gursimar (75-70), a winner of two events this season, produced the day’s second-best card at level par. Gursimar had two birdies and bogeys each in the front nine along with a bogey and a birdie in the back nine, and improved her position from overnight eighth to joint second, going into the final round. 

Meanwhile, Gaurika (71-74) carded 4-over to maintain her joint second position. 

Jaipur’s Afshan Fatima and Panchkula’s Amandeep Drall recorded identical scores of 5-over 75 in the second round. 

While Afshan dropped to fourth position, Amandeep slipped a place on the leaderboard. Mehar Atwal (74-75) and Smriti Mehra (73-76) share the sixth position. Chandigarh’s Saaniya Sharma (79-74) shares the 10th position with amateur Gurjot Badwal.