Gursimar, Sonam lead at women's golf meet

Gursimar Badwal and Sonam Chugh shared the opening rounds lead with two-under 70 each in the fifth leg of the Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour here on Wednesday.

One shot behind them was Neha Tripathi, who is still searching for her first title of the season. The top three were the only players with sub-par rounds on the opening day.

Amateur Tanirika Singh (73) shared the fourth place with Anisha Padukone. Ayesha Kapur and Saaniya Sharma carded 74 each to be tied-sixth.

Last week's winner and runner-up, Tvesa Malik and Suchitra Ramesh were tied eighth at 75 each alongside Afshan Fatima.

Gursimar, who has finished in the top-5 in each of the first four legs, bogeyed the second hole but quickly made up with a birdie on fourth. A dropped shot on fifth was neutralized by a birdie on sixth. After that she did not drop a single shot for the next 12 holes but picked up birdies on ninth and 11th. Her back nine was flawless with one birdie.

She can now eye her second win of the season and the possibility of re-claiming the top spot on the Hero Order of Merit.

Sonam Chugh, who has not finished in the Top-10 in any her of three starts so far this season, had an incredible seven birdies, four on the front nine and three on the back nine. However, she also dropped five bogeys.

--IANS

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