Seher Atwal, who had a breakthrough win earlier this year on the Women’s Golf Association of India, took a slender one-shot lead in the first round of the 15th and final leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club.
Seher, who missed making the final stage of the Ladies European Tour by one shot, carded 3-over 75 on the first day at the historic venue, and was one shot ahead of Neha Tripathi and two clear of last week’s winner, Ridhima Dilawari.
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Four players including two amateurs, Smriti Bhargav and Agrima Manral, were tied for fourth at 6-over 78. The two pros in the bunch were Lakhmehar Pardesi and Trimann Saluja.
Seher, winner of the fourth leg this year in Pune, overcame a double bogey and three others bogeys in her 75. Her two birdies came on the Par-5 fourth and Par-4 12th.
Neha also had two birdies but she also dropped six bogeys in her 76, while Ridhima had just one birdie on the Par-5 15th and six bogeys on a day when the scores were modest.
Jyotsana Singh and Rhea Purvi Saravanan were tied for eighth at 79 each, while five players were together at 8-over 80 in Tied-10th place.
The back nine played rather difficult and only Seher was even for it while all others went over par for the stretch. No player birdied the 18th.
Photo: Akanksha Julka
