Amateur golfer Aditi comes from behind to win

Amateur golfer Aditi Ashok made a scintillating comeback to stun her opponents and walk away with the 11th leg of the Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour at the KGA here on Friday.

Local talent Aditi was at her regal best, playing a flawless round of 8 under 64, which not only powered her to victory by two strokes but in the process also set up a new course record for ladies at the KGA. Delhi's Vani Kapoor finished second with 216, followed by Sharmila Nicollet, who ended with 218 at the Rs.7 lakh event.

Aditi, who began the day in tied eighth spot, started her campaign with aplomb and played a blemish free record. She fired three birdies in the front nine on the second, fourth and ninth holes. She seemed to get better and better, firing five birdies in the back nine on the 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 18th to end with 214.

Aditi thus became the second amateur to win a professional event this year. She re-wrote Women's Golf Association of India's (WGAI) record books by registering the lowest single round score on the tour, bettering the earlier record of 7 under 65 set by veteran Smriti Mehra earlier this year.

Order of Merit leader Vani came up with an effort of 1 under 71 to finish second and walk away with the winner's cheque by virtue of being a professional. She carded birdies on the fifth, 10th, 14th and 15th while dropping shots on the first, ninth and 18th. Vani's performance here will now open up a substantial lead for her in the money list.

Sharmila Nicollet, who was in good form on Thursday and ended in tied first position, returned with a score of 1 over 73 on the final day to finish third. The local sensation fired four birdies on the seventh, 10th, 11th and 13th but a bogey on the 17th and two doubles on the fourth and sixth spoilt her chances to win her first title this year.

Rookie Amandeep Drall returned with a card of 1 under 71 in the final round and took fourth position with a total score of 220. The Panchkula golfer carded birdies on the third, 11th, 15th and 16th while dropping shots on the sixth, 13th and 18th.

Delhi Ankita's Tiwana also carded 1 under 71 to finish fifth with 221. Ankita, who carded three birdies on the 12th, 13th and 16th, could have finished much higher on the leaderboard but for a double bogey on the ninth.

Kolkata's Neha Tripathi ended with 1 over 73 to take sixth spot with a total of 223. She carded a lone birdie on the fourth and dropped two shots on the 12th and 16th. Chandigarh's Saaniya Sharma and Kolkata's Smriti Mehra finished tied seventh with 226.

The tour now moves to Prestige Golfshire in the scenic Nandi Hills on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The tour comprises a total of 19 legs spanning across India.