Lavanya Jadon grabs maiden win in a play-off in the 13th Leg of Hero WPGT

Gurugram, Sep 25 (PTI) Lavanya Jadon on Thursday became the latest first-time winner on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, claiming the title at the 13th Leg of the Tour at the DLF Golf and Country Club here.

Lavanya won on the second play-off hole after she was tied at 3-over 219 with amateur Zara Anand. Lavanya shot 74 in the final round and Zara carded 75.

Lavanya, needing nothing less than a birdie on the 18th to force a play-off, did just that and then won on the second play-off hole. She became the eighth different winner in 13 Hero WPG Tour events.

Vani Kapoor (69) and Amandeep Drall (73) were tied third. They missed getting into a play-off by one shot after finishing at four-over 220.

Lavanya, who held the first-round lead and then dropped down after the second, overcame a rough front nine, which included three bogeys in a row from the fourth to the sixth. With two birdies and one more bogey she played the front nine in 2-over 38.

Playing alongside Lavanya was the overnight leader, amateur Zara Anand, who with one birdie and one bogey was even par for the first nine hole. When the players turned for the home stretch, Zara was three shots ahead.

On the tenth, Lavanya bogeyed again and the deficit was now four. Then it was Zara’s turn to drop shots as she bogeyed 11th, 12th and the 14th, while Lavanya dropped one more shot on the 14th.

With four more holes left, Zara was still two shots ahead. Lavanya picked a birdie on the 15th as Zara exchanged one birdie on the 16th with a bogey on the 17th. With just one hole left, Lavanya still trailed by one.

Lavanya, who turns 19 next month, holed a clutch birdie on the 18th as Zara managed only a par, taking the contest into the play-off. Twice they played on the 18th, and they had a par each the first time before Lavanya won in the second play-off with a par, while Zara bogeyed.

Astha Madan (73) was sole fifth at 222, while amateurs Lavanya Gupta (71) and Ananyaa Sood (73) shared the sixth spot at 223.

Yet another amateur Mahreen Bhatia (70) was eighth at 224, while Kriti Chowhan (77) was ninth at 227.

Sneha Singh (71), Ananya Garg (75) and Gaurika Bishnoi (76) were Tied 10th at 228. PTI ATK