Steady Tvesa takes first round lead in 7th leg of Hero WPG Tour

Rising golfer Tvesa Malik got off to a good start with a steady even par 72 in the seventh leg of the Hero women's Professional Tour at the Prestige Golfshire course here on Wednesday.

Winner of the third leg in Pune, Tvesa, who has been having a terrific season with one win and four other top-5 finishes in six starts, had an eventful start with a bogey followed by two birdies.

She thereafter had two bogeys on eighth and 11th and a birdie on par-3 17th for a 72. That put her one shot clear of Amandeep Drall, who is still winless this season, and Gursimar Badwal, looking to add to her two earlier wins this year.

Amandeep and Gursimar shot 1-over 73 each.

Amandeep had two birdies against three bogeys, while Gursimar had as many as four birdies, but she also gave away five bogeys. Gursimar's four birdies were the most by any players on the first day.

Amateur Ridhima Dilawari (75) was sole fourth, while Smriti Mehra and Anisha Padukone carded 76 each to be tied 5th.

Another amateur Pranavi Urs (77) was seventh, as Millie Saroha, amateur Sehar Atwal and pre-tournament favourite Neha Tripathi were tied 8th with rounds of 79 each.

With the golf course testing the players all the way, the stage is now set for the final two rounds with a lot of players in the frame for the first win of the second half of the season.

Gursimar, Amandeep and Tvesa will go out in the lead group ahead of the second last group comprising Smriti, Anisha and Ridhima.

Ayesha Kapur, Suchitra Ramesh and Hita Prakash will tee off in the first group on Thursday followed by Siddhi Kapoor, Asmitha Sathish and Sonam Chugh.

Afsan Fatima, Khushi Khanijau and Neha Tripathi will be in the third group to be followed by two amateurs Sehar and Pranavi with Millie Saroha.

--IANS

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