Gaurika Bishnoi picks up maiden title of season in Hero WPG Tour

Gaurika Bishnoi completed a massive six-shot win despite scoring a three-over 75 in the final round of the 14th leg of Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour here on Friday.

The 20-year-old Rohtak golfer, who was searching for her first win this season, shot 3-over 75 which included three birdies, two bogeys and two doubles.

Gaurika totalled 226 and finished six shots clear of Tvesa Malik, who finally found her rhythm on the final day with a card of one-under 71, only the second sub-par round this week.

While this served her well to get to sole second, she was too far behind to challenge Gaurika.

Amandeep Drall, whose 80-80 in the first two rounds put her way down on the leaderboard, could have challenged Gaurika but a bogey start, a bogey on the Par-5 15th and a triple bogey on the closing 18th saw her finish the final day at 73.

Her total of 233 saw her finish third. Millie Saroha (75) and Afshan Fatima (80) ended Tied 4th.

Neha Tripathi, Khushi Khanijau and amateur Sifat Sagoo were sixth to eighth respectively, while Gursimar Badwal and Anisha Padukone completed the top-10.

Gaurika, who opened the day with a two-shot lead over Khushi Khanijau, surrendered her lead as she double bogeyed the second and fourth, while Khushi had a bogey on first and birdie on third.

Thereafter the pendulum swung Gaurika's way as she stabilized with three birdies and two bogeys, while Khushi dropped three bogeys and four doubles and fell to seventh.

Tvesa had the best day with birdies on ninth, 12th and 18th and dropped shots on seventh and 15th. Amandeep's triple robbed her of the chance of getting to second place and closing the gap with Tvesa on the Hero Order of Merit.

At the end of the 14th leg of the Tour, Tvesa continued to lead the money ranking with Rs.12,82,400 while Amandeep Drall was second at Rs.10,38,200 and became the second player to cross the Rs.10 lakh mark this season.

Neha Tripathi (Rs.8,97,000), Gursimar Badwal (Rs.8,27,000) and Gaurika Bishnoi (Rs.6,13,300) were third to fifth. Gaurika made the biggest jump from eighth to fifth.

Gaurika became the eighth pro to win a title this year, during which Amandeep Drall has won three times and Tvesa Malik and Gursimar Badwal have won twice each. Two amateurs, Ridhima Dilawari and Pranavi Urs also have a win each this season.

In the first week of October, The DLF Golf & Country Club will again play host to the 15th leg. This will give the girls an opportunity to get some more practice at the Gary Player layout, leading up to the Hero Women's Indian Open, 2018.