Steady Amandeep Wins First Title Of The Season At 7th Leg Of WPGT

Steady Amandeep wins first title of the season at 7th Leg of WPGT (Image Source: IANS)

Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club: Amandeep Drall, one of the most successful players on the domestic circuit, ensured she was on the winners’ list once again at the seventh leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour (WPFT) at the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club. She carded a third straight round of 1-over 71 to win the seventh leg, almost 15 months after her last win, which came in March 2024.

Amandeep has now won at least once each year since 2015, and that makes her one of the most consistent players on the Hero Tour. She is the fourth different player to win his season after Vani Kapoor (3 times), Sneha Singh (2), and Rhea Purvi Saravanan. Amandeep carded 71-71-71 to total 3-over 213 and won by two shots over Ridhima Dilawari, who despite a 1-under 69 fell short at the JWGC. Ridhima’s 69 was one of the few under-par rounds recorded during the week, which saw a lot of rain and tough conditions for scoring.

Vani Kapoor, who had won the fourth, fifth, and sixth legs of the Tour, finished in a tie for third place alongside the second-round leader, Rhea Purvi Saravanan. Vani carded 71-72-73, and Rhea had rounds of 72-68-76. Amandeep, a former runner-up at the Women’s Indian Open, is trying to get back to the Ladies European Tour after losing her card a year ago.

Amandeep trailed the 36-hole leader, Rhea, by two shots at the start of the final round. They played alongside Vani Kapoor, who was three behind Rhea. Amandeep began strongly with a birdie on the first, and when Rhea bogeyed the second hole, the two were tied for the lead. Thereafter, there was a see-saw battle, though Rhea was again in the lead when Amandeep dropped a shot on the sixth.

Rhea kept ahead by a narrow one-shot margin for the next few holes till the 12th. On the Par-4 13th, when Rhea dropped her fifth bogey, the two were once again level.

Amandeep and Rhea were both tied at the top at 3-over with two holes left. Ridhima and Vani were trailing them.

Amandeep stayed steady while Vani had one birdie and two bogeys, including one on the 18th, and ended at 6-over. Ridhima exchanged a birdie with a bogey on the 13th and the 14th and ended with a birdie on the 18th to finish at 5-over.

However, Rhea faltered at the finish with a double bogey on the par-4 17th and a bogey on the Par-5 18th. From being in the shared lead, she dropped down even as Amandeep kept her calm and maintained her string of pars on the last seven holes. As Amandeep grabbed the title, Ridhima finished second, and there was a tie for third place between Vani and Rhea.

Khushi Khanijau (69) and Jasmine Shekar (71) were tied for fifth place, as Ananya Garg (70) and Vidhatri Urs (75) were tied for seventh place. Lavanya Jadon (72) was the sole eighth, and Astha Madan (74) and Neha Tripathi (75) completed the Top 10.

However, Rhea faltered at the finish with a double bogey on the par-4 17th and a bogey on the Par-5 18th. From being in the shared lead, she dropped down even as Amandeep kept her calm and maintained her string of pars on the last seven holes. As Amandeep grabbed the title, Ridhima finished second, and there was a tie for third place between Vani and Rhea.

Article Source: IANS