Amateur Mannat, rookie Heena share lead in 11th leg of WPGT

Amateur Mannat Brar and rookie pro Heena Kang shared the lead after the opening round of the 11th Leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour at Prestige Golfshire in Bengaluru. The duo shot even par 72 and led three others, Kriti Chowhan and amateurs Lavanya Gupta and Riya Jadon by two shots.

While rookie Heena had a share of the lead, three amateurs figured in the top five, none of whom have won on the WPG Tour.

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Heena, who finished Tied-fifth on debut as a pro last month in Zion Hills, opened with a pair of bogeys. A former India international amateur, Heena fought back well with birdies on the third, seventh and 12th to get under par. A closing bogey on the 18th saw her finish at 72.

Mannat birdied the fourth but gave that shot back on the very next hole on the Par-5 fifth. Two bogeys on the 11th and 12th pushed her back to 2-over but she hit back with birdies on the 15th and the 18th for an even par round.

Kriti and amateur Lavanya had two birdies and four bogeys each, while another amateur Riya had three birdies against three bogeys and one double bogey for her 74.

The surprise of the day was Ridhima Dilawari, the winner of the 10th leg, struggling to a round of 82 while another former winner, Seher Atwal shot 86.

Three players, Ananya Datar, Jasmine Shekar and Anahita Singh occupied the tied sixth place with cards of 3-over 75 each, while five players — Karishma Govind, Durga Nittur, Ananya Garg, Khushi Khanijau and Astha Madan — shared the ninth place by firing 76 each.