Gursimar is favourite

Buoyed by her maiden professional title last week, Gursimar Badwal will start as favourite in the sixth leg of the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour at the Oxford Golf Resort in Pune. The Rs 6 lakh event featuring 18 professionals and lone amateur Suchitra Ramesh gets under way on Wednesday.

Gursimar currently leads the Hero Order of Merit with total earnings of Rs 3,64,200 in five appearances and will be eager to consolidate her position on top the money list.

However, the professional from Kapurthala faces a strong field including the likes of Vani Kapoor, Neha Tripathi and Kiran Matharu.

Vani will rejoin the Tour after a month’s gap and will be a force to reckon with.

The Delhi youngster was in stellar form and claimed the year’s first two titles in Gujarat. She is currently fifth in the Hero Order of Merit with total earnings of Rs 2,94,000 in two appearances this season and will be eager to get back to winning ways.

Neha is second in the Order of Merit with earning of Rs 3,62,500 in five appearances, with two wins and a runner-up finish to her name. She has hit a purple patch in the last three events and will be keen on the top position on the money list.

Overseas player Kiran, currently third with Rs 3,41,200 in five outings, has struggled in the last few events. She will look to set the ball rolling and annex her first title of the year.

Kolkata’s Smriti Mehra and Bengaluru golfer Sharmila Nicollet have not been at their best and will be eyeing a turnaround at Oxford. This event will also see the return of Panchkula’s Amandeep Drall, who missed the last three legs due to overseas commitments.

Others to watch out for are Chandigarh’s Saaniya Sharma, Pune’s Shweta Galande and the Delhi duo of Ankita Tiwana and Mehar Atwal.