Anisha, Raksha take lead in Hero women's golf

Bangalore, July 10 (IANS) Local amateur Anisha Padukone along with Pune's Raksha Phadke grabbed the lead at the end of Day 2 in the Rs.5 lakh eighth leg of the Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour being played at the KGA Golf Course here Thursday.

The amateur duo, who are playing their maiden event this season, were tied for the top place with identical totals of even par 144. Raksha and Anisha both carded the day's lowest score of 1 under 71.

Raksha played a careful round which included three birdies on the first, sixth and ninth holes in addition to two bogeys on the third and 16th. Anisha, however, played in attacking fashion, carding five birdies on the third, fourth, fifth, 10th and 14th holes. She also hit two bogeys on the 11th and 15th with a double bogey on the eighth.

Sharmila Nicollet and amateur Nikita Arjun were tied in third with current Order of Merit leader Vani Kapoor, all carding identical scores of 146 after 36 holes.

Sharmila began strongly with two birdies on the first and fourth and a lone bogey on the ninth in her front nine. Her back nine, however, wasn't impressive as she carded two consecutive bogeys on the 14th and 15th.

Delhi's Vani, who carded an even par score, played a careful round with two birdies and two bogeys a piece on the third, sixth, ninth and 11th holes respectively.

Nikita played consistently, carding 1 over 73, her round consisting of three birdies on the 11th, 12th and 17th along with four bogeys on the ninth, 14th, 15th and 18th.

Overnight leader Shweta Galande failed to capitalise on her impressive first round as she slipped down five places to be placed sixth after the second round with a total score of 147. She carded 4 over 76 in her birdie-less round which included four bogies on the second, third, 15th and 16th holes.

Trailing Shweta by three shots in seventh is Delhi's Ankita Tiwana, who failed to card a single birdie in her round of 4 over 76 which consisted of four bogies on the fifth, sixth, 12th and 18th holes.

Kolkata's Neha Tripathi and Jaipur's Pallavi Jain were tied eighth with identical totals of 151. Neha's round consisted of four birdies on the third, fifth, 17th and 18th in addition to two bogeys on the seventh and 16th holes and a double bogey on the 11th.

Pallavi, on the other hand, failed to maintain her first round momentum, carding four bogeys on the seventh, eighth, 13th and 18th holes along with two double bogeys on the 11th and 14th, with a lone birdie on the second.

Delhi amateur Mehar Atwal is 10th with a total of 152 while Chandigarh's Saaniya Sharma is 11th with 154.