Sharmila wins 2nd leg of Hero WPGT, end 18-month title drought

Sharmila Nicollet took a tough route to end her 18-month title drought as she beat Neha Tripathi in the play-off in the second leg of the 2018 Hero WPGT on Thursday.
Sharmila, whose last win came in August 2016 in Hyderabad, shot 2-under 68 despite a hiccup at the very end with bogeys on 17th and 18th.
Neha Tripathi, who was two shots behind overnight leader Gursimar Badwal and two shots ahead of Sharmila, carded even par 70 to end in a tie at 4-over 214.
Sharmila made up for the bogeys with an eagle in the play-off for a fine win.

The 26-year-old lanky Bengalurean Sharmila pulled through in the play-off on the 18th for a well-deserved win.
"I allowed things to get to me at the end and I was disappointed to drop those bogeys (on 17th and 18th). However I just kept those thoughts aside in the play-off."

She added:"It is a big weight off my head, as I was winless for long and 2017 was a barren year for me. But now that period is over and I am happy with the progress in my game.
"I have worked very hard over last few months and I am confident of playing on Ladies Asian and Ladies European Tours also. I have a few events lined up including two in Australia and others."

Tvesa Malik (69) and Gursimar Badwal (74) were Tied-third at 216, while Gaurika Bishnoi finally found form and rhythm to card 2-under 68 and she was fifth at 218.
Sharmila played a strong front nine with four birdies against one bogey.
She birdied the second, fourth, sixth and eighth, but bogeyed the par-4 seventh to turn in three-under 32. On the back nine she was steady with six pars from 10th to 15th, before she birdied the 16th.
At that stage, she was two ahead of Neha, who had also birdied the 16th.
Neha parred the last two while Sharmila dropped a shot each to end in a tie, but she managed to survive the play-off for a win. Sharmila playing her first event of 2018 picked up Rs. 1.44 lakh.

Gursimar, the overnight leader, was steady on the front nine as she went through unscathed for the first eight holes. She then dropped two bogeys in quick succession on ninth and tenth.
Things worsened as she had three more bogeys on 12th, 14th and 16th. Her sole birdie was on 15th as she carded 74 and fell to Tied-third.
Gaurika, winner of the Hero WPGT Order of Merit 2017, played very steady and solid golf with three birdies and just one bogey. She birdied the fifth, 16th and 18th and her sole bogey was on 17th.
Gursimar Badwal and Tvesa Malik are tied at the top of the Hero Order of Merit with Rs 1.54 lakh each from two events.

Amandeep Drall (74) was sixth at 222, while Saaniya Sharma (74) was seventh at 227. Three players, Afshan Fatima (72), Suchitra Ramesh (74) and Smriti Mehra (81) were Tied for tenth at 228.