Steady Gaurika wins Hosur leg on WPG Tour

Gaurika Bishnoi lifted her second title of the season with a five-under in the final round of the Hosur leg of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour, here Friday.

Starting the final round four shots behind the overnight leader Gursimar Badwal, Bishnoi dropped just one bogey while picking up six birdies, three of which came in the last five holes.

Bisnoi's 67 saw her total eight-under 208, which was three clear of amateur Pranavi Urs, who registered the second 66 of the tournament.

Urs, who began the week with a 76, recovered well over the final two days with 69-66 for a fine performance.

Badwal, who had played on the first two days, had a rough final day with just one birdie. She had two bogeys, but what put her out of contention was the triple bogey eight on the Par-5 14th.

She finished in a tie for third alongside Amandeep Drall (70) and Tvesa Malik (68).

Ridhima Dilawari, who seemed out of sorts in the first two rounds when she shot 73-74, finally found her form, though a little late. She finished sixth at one-under 215, as six players finished the week with under par totals.

There were two 66s and a 67 in the 15 under-par rounds in a week of impressive golf.

With this win, Bishnoi has moved to the top of the WPGT Order of Merit with total earnings of Rs.6,12,800. She went past Neha Tripathi (Rs. 5,56,800) and Badwal (Rs.5,20,133). The fourth player with over Rs.5 lakhs is Drall (Rs.5,11,333).

Bishnoi birdied the second and dropped her only bogey of the day at fourth. Thereafter she was flawless, with birdies on sixth and eighth to turn in two-under 35. On the back nine, after four pars, she birdied 14th, 16th and 18th for a final card of 67.

Urs was also two-under for the front nine and was two-under till the 12th with four birdies against two bogeys.

On the last five holes, she had a hat-trick of birdies from 14th to 16th and another on 18th for four-under 31 and a total of 66, the second time this score was recorded this week. The earlier 66 came from Badwal on the second day.

Drall had a rough front nine with bogeys on third and fourth, but four birdies on the back nine against no bogeys saw her card 70 and finish in a tie for third.

Winner Bishnoi and Drall, winner of the previous two events at Clover Greens, were the only players to play all three rounds under par.

Astha Madan (72) was seventh at one-over 217, while amateur Asmitha Sathish (72) and Ananya Datar (72) were tied-eighth. Neha Tripathi (72) and Millie Saroha (75) were tied-10th.