Vani, Gauri keep Indian flag high at DGC

Vani Kapoor and amateur Gauri Monga kept Indian hopes high as they shot one-over 73 each in the first round of the $300,000 Women's Indian Open at the Delhi Golf Club (DGC) here Thursday.

On a day when Thailand's Thidapa Suwannapura and French Valentine Derrey stole the limelight with matching rounds of 66 for joint lead, Vani and local Gauri ended the day in tied 13th with 21 other golfers.

Neha Tripathi, the winner of Women's Pro Golf Tour order of merit, is a stroke behind Vani and Gauri in tied 36th while Sharmila Nicollet wasn't in her best form and shot a three-over 75 for 47th place.

Amateurs Millie Saroha and Aditi Ashok managed a 76 each while stalwart Smriti Mehra is a stroke behind them in tied 66th with compatriots Ankita Tiwana, Rhea Nair and amateur Gursimar Badhwal.

Indians' leaderboard:

73- Gauri Monga (A), Vani Kapoor

74- Neha Tripathi

75- Sharmila Nicollet

76- Millie Saroha (A), Aditi Ashok (A)

77- Smriti Mehra, Ankita Tiwana, Rhea Nair, Gursimar Badhwal (A)

78- Gurbani Singh (A), Preetinder Kaur

79- Niki Ponappa

80- Seher Atwal (A)