Chiara Tamburlini’s late surge to the summit was the main golfing headline on Thursday at Hero Women’s Indian Open here at the DLF Golf and Country Club, but there was another one that drew attention.
The tournament opened today on a note that further amplified the camaraderie between defending champion Shannon Tan of Singapore and India’s Asian Games gold medallist Pranavi Urs.
Rarely does the form book pan out predictably at this challenging DLF Golf and Country Club, but Day One of the 18th edition was an exception for Shannon and Pranavi, who is one of the three Hero MotoCorp brand ambassadors on view this week.
Given her status, Shannon—the 2025 Ladies European Tour (LET) Order of Merit champion—has a lot riding on her as she chases a title double in Gurugram.
There is pressure, but the 22-year-old from Singapore displayed none of it. Shooting a flawless 4-under 68, Shannon is in a tie for second with Argentina’s Magdalena Simmermacher, and a shot back of clubhouse leader Switzerland’s Chiara, who is at 5-under 67.
Sweden’s Andrea Lignell was on the 18th fairway when darkness stopped play at 5:57 pm.
Three shots off the lead, Pranavi and Avani Prashanth are the best-placed Indians at T-5.
Playing in the morning group with Shannon, Pranavi could have fared better than the two-under 70 had she not been bothered by a stomach bug, which made the going tough.
“The [ailment] is not good for this golf course considering how challenging it is. I just had to keep it all together and play, which I did very well,” said Pranavi.
A few kind words from Shannon went some way in helping Pranavi, and that was acknowledged warmly.
Building on friendship
A lot has been written about how the duo competed hard at the Asian Games, but there was no animosity as the two engaged in the see-saw battle in Japan.
Pranavi triumphed, and Shannon settled for bronze in Aichi-Nagoya, but what came across as a whiff of fresh air in the cut-throat world of professional sport was Shannon’s whisper to Pranavi as they neared completion of the final round in Japan.
“Shannon said she wanted me to win if she didn’t, and I was there for her first win (at the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open). Shannon was glad that she could be there for my first win as well,” said Pranavi.
Given their form and the start to the Hero Women’s Indian Open, there will be more opportunities to tee off together, and with it more tales of a friendship that began more than a decade back as junior golfers.
Spacing out her birdies evenly, Shannon had little to complain about despite “missing a few shots like the putts that didn’t drop”. But then, that’s golf, and the work on the driving range post-round with her wedges should set her up for another tussle with this golf course.
Keeping patience
Landing the ball where it shouldn’t be can trigger a sinking feeling, but the years of turning up at the DLF Golf and Country Club have taught Magdalena to stay calm.
When she found the water on the 18th with her third shot, a bogey loomed. “How are you going to do that (make par)?” she asked herself. The way out was to “keep going and keep giving yourself chances, trying to get the ball close to save par,” said Magdalena.
Bogeys are a natural byproduct on this golf course, and while she escaped this time, the golf course caught up with the dropped shot on her back-nine Hole 6.
It is a beginning well made, and the 30-year-old, who is chasing a long-awaited breakthrough on the LET, will continue to “play shot by shot, work my way around the course without trying to focus on the result”.
It was a day of contrasting fortunes for the other Hero MotoCorp brand ambassadors Tvesa Malik and Diksha Dagar with the former at T-9 with an under-par card of 71, and Diksha T-62 with a five-over 77.
Free-flowing golf
Avani Prashanth’s round was a contrast to her up-and- down season on the LET. It was injury, and nine weeks of non-stop golf which, according to her, aggravated the bulge in her L3, L4 and L5 discs.
The struggle showed in the results, and at one point the 20-year-old was staring at losing her playing rights for the 2027 LET season with the massive slip on the order of merit.
Rearguard action in the latter part of the year has placed her in the safe zone, and the relief found reflection in her golf on Thursday.
“My approach game was the best it has ever been. To be able to attack some of these flags and hit it as close as I did is something I’m happy with,” said Avani.
Meanwhile, the clubhouse leader Chiara displayed her class. Over time, the outcome in India has not measured up to her high standards, but the Swiss 2024 LET order of merit champion has some low rounds to show.
Thursday’s 67 was an addition to the list, and Chiara attributed it to “simple golf”, which she had missed for a while.
“I hit quite a few fairways and felt quite comfortable with my irons as well. I converted a lot of putts, and the putter was definitely what made it possible to go low,” she said.
Round 2 action will commence at 6:40 am on Friday.
Top scores:
- 67: Chiara Tamburlini (SUI)
- 68: Shannon Tan (SIN), Magdalena Simmermacher (ARG)
- 69: Sara Kouskova (CZE)
- 70: Pranavi Urs (IND), Lois Lau (FRA), Avani Prashanth (IND), Dorthea Forbrigd (NOR)
- 71: Ursula Wikstrom (FIN), April Angurasaranee (THA), Camille Chevalier (FRA), Eleanor Givens (ENG), Emma Spitz (AUT), Tvesa Malik (IND)
