Seasoned Smriti takes two-shot lead in second leg of Hero-WGAI Tour

Bangalore, August 28: Smriti Mehra turned in a birdie-birdie finish enroute to a one-under 69 that put her two shots ahead of Saaniya Sharma and three others, Sharmila Nicollet, Neha Tripathi and Meghna Bal, all of whom shot 71 each Hero-WGAI Women’s Pro Tour at Clover Greens in Bangalore.

Smriti would have had a much better finish but for a hat-rick of bogeys from 13^th to 15^th. Overall she had six birdies and five bogeys in the 69.

Saaniya Sharma finished with a bogey, but for which she might have been sole second for the first round. She started the day with a birdie and then had three more on the back nine. She also bogeyed the third and sixth and double bogeyed the fifth.

Sharmila Nicollet, like Smriti and Saaniya, started with a birdie, but failed to get another birdie. She bogeyed ninth and 15^th to go one-over. Nalini Singh Siwach carded two-over 72 and was sixth.

Vani Kapoor, who lost the first leg, Hero-KGA tournament, last week, struggled to a 76. She birdied the third and fifth but then had a four-over back nine as she ended the day at 76.

The event carries a purse of Rs. 5 lakhs and is the second in the schedule of the Tour which has 12 events.

Tee times: Round 2

9:00 AM:   Trisha Sunil (A) (80)/ Ankita Tiwana (78)

9:10 AM: Preetinder Kaur (78)/ Mita Gowande (77)

9:20 AM:   Vani Kapoor (76)/ Pallavi Jain (76)/ Nalini Singh (76)

9:30 AM: Ankita Kedlaya (A)(75)/ Nikki Ponappa (75)/ Priya Puri (75)

9:40 AM: Suchitra Ramesh (75)/ Rani Sonti (75)/ Shraddhanjali Singh (74)

9:50 AM: Nalini Singh Siwach (72)/ Meghna Bal (71)/ Neha Tripathi (71)

10:00 AM: Sharmila Nicollet (71)/ Saaniya Sharma (71)/ Smriti Mehra (69)