Amandeep grabs first win of 2019 on Hero WPGT

Amandeep Drall grabbed her first title of the season, emerging a comfortable four-shot winner with a final round of 71 in the 10th leg of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour here Friday.

Her last win was in the 11th leg of the 2018 season, which was 16 starts back.

Amandeep, whose previous best this season was second at both the second and third legs, has also been at least Tied-third on four other occasions. The win this week, therefore, comes as a big relief to the consistent Kapurthala golfer, who is the sixth different winner in 10 events this season.

On a day when none of the players broke par at the Par-70 layout, Amandeep had two birdies on the second and 16th and three bogeys, while Gaurika Bishnoi, who also shot 71, leapfrogged from Tied-sixth to second as the rest faltered.

Gursimar Badwal, the first round co-leader with Amandeep, was expected to provide the strongest challenge but fizzled away with three bogeys on the back nine after a double bogey, bogey and two birdies on the front nine.

She finished with a round of four-over 74 and ended third.

Gaurika showed that she is fast achieving a high level of consistency. Having won twice this season, she finished runner-up for the third time. She has also been third twice.

Afshan Fatima had a roller-coaster of a round with a double and three bogeys in the first four holes to be five-over after four. She then birdied three times in the next four holes to turn in two-over.

On the back nine, she birdied twice on 12th and 17th, but double bogeyed the 18th for a 2-over 72 and a Tied-fourth place finish with Sonam Chugh (73) and Ananya Datar (74).

Ananya was four-over after the first five holes, but did well to recover with three birdies and may well have finished much higher but for a triple bogey on the Par-5 17th.

Neha Tripathi (73), Ridhima Dilawari (75) and Gurjot Badwal (75), in her first outing as a professional, were Tied-seventh. Gauri Karhade, who was one of the three players to shoot the day's best score of 71, was tenth.

Gaurika continued to lead the Hero Order of Merit with Rs.8,61,800, while Neha is second with earnings of Rs.7,69,133 and Amandeep rose to third with Rs.7,64,333. Gursimar and Ridhima are fifth and sixth.

The winners this season are Ridhima, who has won thrice, Gaurika and Tvesa Malik twice each while Neha, Gursimar and now Amandeep Drall have won once each.

The 11th leg of the Hero WPG Tour will be played at the Hyderabad Golf Club from August 7.