WPGT 2025: Rhea Purvi grabs maiden pro title with play-off win over Saanvi 

Jamshedpur, Jan 10 (IANS) Rhea Purvi Sarvanan got off to a fine start in the 2025 season of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour (WPGT) with a maiden win in the opening leg at the Golmuri Golf Club here on Friday. The 22-year-old golfer from Kolar edged out amateur Saanvi Somu in the first play-off hole after both players were tied at 1-under 215 for three days. They shot 71 each on the final day. 

Rhea had rounds of 72-72-71, while Saanvi, who has time and again finished runner-up, shot 75-69-71. Rhea, who is now in her fifth season as a pro, lives, and trains at Zion Hills, which is two hours away from Bengaluru. She bettered the Tied-eighth place finish in the 14th Leg of the 2024 HPWGT season.

Rhea seemed to have wrapped up the title with two holes to go as she was 3-under for the tournament and three shots clear of amateur Saanvi as they walked off the 16th green. Rhea bogeyed the last two holes and Saanvi birdied the 18th for the third day in a row to catch up and force a play-off.

In the playoff, Saanvi missed a six-footer for par and was sitting on a two-footer for bogey when Rhea closed with a par from six feet. It also gave her the lead on the Order of Merit after the first event. Saanvi once again put up a super show while still being an amateur. She has been a runner-up multiple time.

At the start of the final day, Saanvi indicated she might break through for a maiden win. She started birdie-birdie for a two-shot lead which became three shots as Rhea bogeyed the third hole.

Then it was Saanvi who faltered. Between the third and the 16th Saanvi had three bogeys and one birdie while Rhea birdied on the 11th, 12th, and 14th holes to go ahead.

There was yet another twist as the three-shot lead disappeared with Rhea dropping shots on the 17th and the 18th and Saanvi picking a birdie on the 18th leading to a play-off. Alas Saanvi, despite the fightback, lost in the play-off.

Jasmine Shekar shot one of the only two under-par scores with a 2-under 70 on the final day. However, over the last three holes, she failed to find a birdie, which would have got her into the play-off with Rhea and Saanvi. Jasmine ended third at even-par 216, while Durga Nittur, one of the co-leaders after two rounds, slipped to fourth with a 77.

Neha Tripathi (72) and Sneha Singh (74) were tied for fifth place while Khushi Khanijau (67) who had an eagle and four other birdies against just one bogey carded the tournament’s best round of 67 to finish seventh. Amandeep Drall (78), Anisha Agarwalla (73), and Ananya Garg (77) finished eighth, ninth and tenth.

The second leg of the Tour will be held at the Tollygunge Golf Club in Kolkata next week.