Rookie Lavanya takes one-shot lead in sixth leg of WPGT

Gurugram, Mar 11 (PTI) Rookie Lavanya Jadon birdied the closing hole to take sole lead at 2-under in the first round of the sixth leg of Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour at the Gary Player designed DLF Golf & Country Club here on Tuesday.

Lavanya had five birdies against three bogeys in a round of 70.

The Hero Order of Merit leader, Sneha Singh, seemed to be set for a very low round as she was four-under through 13 holes before hitting a disastrous patch as she bogeyed four holes in a row from the 14th to the 17th.

That saw her drop to even par but a birdie on the closing 18th ensured a 1-under card and a tie for second place with Anvvi Dahhiya, who finished more than an hour before her. The highlight of Sneha's round was an eagle on the Par-4 second, where she holed her second shot. It was the only eagle of the day.

Overall Sneha had six birdies and an eagle against five bogeys and a double bogey.

Anvvi Dahhiya, a promising amateur, had five birdies against four bogeys, to be one shot behind at 1-under 71.

Vani Kapoor, aiming for a hat-trick of wins after winning the previous two legs, shot even par 72 with two birdies on the ninth and the 14th. Ironically, she dropped shots on Par-5s, the eighth and the 18th in her 72 for sole fourth place.

Lavanya, who is looking for her maiden win in her first season, birdied the second and sixth. tenth, 12th and the 18th and dropped shots on the Par-4 fifth, 11th and the 14th.

Sneha eagled the second and birdied the fourth, eighth, ninth, 12th and the 13th. She dropped shots on the third and then had a double bogey on the Par-3 fifth.

Four dropped shots on the trot from the 14th ruined her round and a closing birdie was a small consolation.

Amandeep Drall and Gaurika Bishnoi shot 2-over 74 each to be tied fifth, while Gauri Karhade, Agrima Manral and amateur Keya K Badugu scored 2-over 74 each and were tied seventh.

Jasmine Shekar (77) was tenth.

Among the other leading names, Ridhima Dilawari (78) was T-14. Neha Tripathi had a rough day with 85 and was T-29, while Shweta Mansingh (86) was T-33. PTI Cor AH AH