Nayanika Sanga, who has been trending over the last few starts on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, signalled her intentions with a fine 2-under 70 to take a one-shot lead over favourite Pranavi Urs and the experienced Gaurika Bishnoi at the DLF Golf & Country Club.
Despite three bogeys in the middle of the round, rookie Nayanika, who was joint runner-up in the tenth leg at Prestige Golfshire in Bengaluru, shot 70 which also had five birdies. She started the day with a birdie, finished with a birdie and in between she had other gains on the fourth 11th and 13th holes.
Related: No stopping the juggernaut called Pranavi Urs
The Gurugram-based golfer Nayanika has also finished fourth, sixth and seventh in three other events apart from the second place finish in the 10th leg.
Pranavi, who has won five times in the first 12 legs, had a very steady round, which began with a bogey. She got that back on the fourth and then parred the rest till she reached the 18th, which she birdied again.
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Gaurika had the most birdies during the day with seven, but she also gave away four bogeys and a double bogey on the Par-4 sixth hole.
With only three players carding under par, Shweta Mansingh was fourth with 74, while Seher Atwal, Khushi Khanijau and Oviya Reddi had rounds of 3-over 75 each.
Rishika Muralidhar was the top amateur with 77 and she was tied eighth alongside Sneha Singh.
Five players, including Neha Tripathi and Ridhima Dilawari, were tied for 10th with rounds of 78 each. The other three were Agrima Manral and amateurs Jasmine Shekar and Vidhatri Urs.
