Shweta Galande soars into lead

Pune’s Shweta Galande returned a level par score to take the lead on Day Two of the 18th and final leg of the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour at the Rambagh Golf Club in Jaipur on Thursday. Trailing her by a stroke was Delhi’s Vani Kapoor, the overnight leader.

Starting the day in third, Shweta played a cautious front nine with two birdies and three bogies. Her back nine had two birdies against a solitary dropped shot to finish with a score of 145 after two days. The Pune professional, who has just one title to her name, now has a splendid opportunity to win her second title.

Vani could not emulate her first day performance, and hit a 5 over 76 to slip down the leaderboard. The Hero Order of Merit leader had an error-prone front nine with four bogies and a lone birdie. Her back nine had a double bogey for a total of 146.

Kapurthala’s Gursimar Badwal and Panchkula’s Amandeep Drall had 147 to lie tied third. Gursimar had an eventful front nine with three birdies against a bogey and a double. She played a bogey-free back nine with one birdie to return a score of 1 under 70. Amandeep’s round of 1 over 72 consisted of five birdies to go with four bogies and a double.

Kolkata’s Neha Tripathi, overseas player Kiran Matharu and Delhi’s Ankita Tiwana were tied fifth with 149 after 36 holes. Neha shot a 2 under 69, the best of the day with three birdies and a bogey. Kiran’s round of 1 over had four birdies along with five bogies while Ankita who started the day in second for a card of 77. Jaipur’s Afshan Fatima and Kolkata’s Smriti Mehra were tied 8th with 151s.