Pranavi Urs produced the standout performance for India on the opening day of golf at the Asian Games, firing a sparkling four-under-par 66 to take sole possession of second place, at Kasugai Country Club.
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Pranavi, competing in her second Asian Games, was three shots behind Singapore’s Shannon Tan, who stormed into the lead with a brilliant nine-under 63.
Pranavi started her round from the 10th tee and made an early bogey but responded impressively. She produced three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the 12th to the 15th and then added two more birdies on her second nine, at the fifth and eighth holes, to complete a highly encouraging 66.
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Her round put her in a potentially fascinating battle with Tan, a fellow Ladies European Tour player. The two could meet again soon on Indian soil, with Tan set to defend her Hero Women’s Indian Open title later next month.
Pranavi has also enjoyed a breakthrough period in Indian professional golf. Late last year, she became the first Indian woman to win a mixed professional event when she prevailed against a field featuring several of India’s leading men professionals at the IGPL Invitational in Mumbai.
Tan, meanwhile, was in devastating form. She made nine birdies against just two bogeys to take a three-shot lead and put Singapore in a commanding position in the team competition.
India’s other two women, 2023 Asian Games silver medallist Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar, both carded one-over 71s and were tied 18th. Aditi’s round was marked by a dramatic combination of five birdies and two triple bogeys, one on each nine, while Diksha made two birdies and three bogeys.
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With the best two individual scores counting towards the team competition, India finished the opening day at three-under and tied sixth.
Singapore led at eight-under, four shots clear of Korea, China and Chinese Taipei, who were all four-under.
With three rounds still to come, India remains within medal striking distance in both individual competitions, while Pranavi’s opening round has given the women’s team an early boost.
