Golf: Amateurs Saanvi and Mannat chase leader Vidhatri in the 9th leg of WPGT

Hosur (T.N.), July 18 (IANS) Two promising amateurs, Mannat Brar and Saanvi Somu, were hot on the heels of Vidhatri Urs, who is playing only her third event as a professional, in the ninth leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Clover Greens. Vidhatri shot 2-under 69 after a first-round 68 to get to 5-under 137 and one clear of amateur Saanvi Somu, who repeated her first-round score of 69 to get to 4-under 138. 

Mannat Brar, who has been a teammate of both the leaders on India teams at international amateur events, also shot 69 like Vidhatri and Saanvi. Mannat (70-69) is third at 3-under 139.

Vidhatri had a birdie-bogey sequence on two occasions, first on the third and fourth and then seventh and eighth to turn in even par. On the back nine, she birdied the tenth and the 16th and there were no bogeys. Saanvi played steady with three birdies and one bogey, and Mannat also had the same.

The experienced Gaurika Bishnoi, who is among the winners in the 2024 season, shot a second straight 70 and was fourth. She had three birdies against two bogeys. Sneha Singh, winner of the 2023 Hero Order of Merit, with 72 was fifth, while Gaurabi Bhowmick, who had the day’s best card of 3-under 68, moved up to sole sixth place. Gourabi, who turned pro recently and shot 74 on the first day, had four birdies against one bogey and is now even par for two rounds.

Three players Agrima Manral (71-72), Shweta Mansingh (71-72) and Karishma Govind (69-74) were tied for seventh place, while Amandeep Drall (72-72) and Khushi Khanijau (74-70) were tied tenth.

The cut fell at 9-over 151 and 27 players made the grade for the third and final round in the Rs.13 lakh event.