Vedika wins title at US Kids Golf, while Aida finishes third

Pinehurst (US), Aug 3 (PTI) India's Vedika Bhansali emerged champion at the US Kids World Championship golf at Pinehurst Village.

Playing in the girls 9-year category, Vedika shot her best nine-hole round of the week with 4-under 32, and it was bogey free for the second time in three days.

With 33-33-32, she totalled 10-under and beat Japan’s Emi Minami by one shot and American Audrey Zhang by two.

Vedika, who was fourth a year ago, had just one bogey in three rounds, each of which is nine holes for her age group.

As Vedika picked the gold, another Bengaluru golfer Aida Thimmaiah (75-68-66) was third in girls 11 category.

Aida’s final round was brilliant as she shot 6-under 66 and totalled 7-under to finish third.

The runaway winner was American Bella Simoes (66-62-67) at 21-under while Ananya Venkataraghavan (70-69-67), granddaughter of former India cricketer S Venkataraghavan, was second at 10-under. Ananya is now based in the United States and represents the US.

Two other Indians finished in the Top-8. Last year’s medallist, Chandigarh’s Nihal Cheema was tied-fourth in boys 8 category with cards of 38-39-35. In boys 10, Noida’s Kabir Goyal shot 72-70-68 and finished eighth.

Results of the Indians after the third and final round at US Kids World Championships at Pinehurst: Boys 8: Nihal Cheema (Chandigarh) (38-39-35) T-4.

Boys 10: Kabir Goyal (Noida) shot (72-70-68) (8th).

Boys 11: Sohraab Singh Talwar (Mohali) (76-74-75) (T-42).

Boys 12: Adit Veeramachaneni (Bangalore) (73-79-71) (T-41), Hridaan Saraogi (Jaipur) (79-79-72) (T-89) and Siddhant Sharma (Faridabad) (78-78-75) (T-97).

Girls 8: Pramati Veera (Bangalore) – (37-36-41) in 9-hole rounds (T-21), Naaysha S Sinha (Noida) (38-39-39) in 9-hole rounds (T-25).

Girls 9: Vedika Bhansali (Bangalore) (33-33-32) in 9-hole rounds (Winner); Ahana Shah (Mumbai) (41-42-34) (T-42), Suhani Chandra (Gurugram) (43-42-41) (T-78), Aahana Shrivastava (Gurugram) (44-41-42) (T-82).

Girls 11: Aida Thimmaiah (Bangalore) (75-68-66) (3rd).

Girls 12: Ojaswini Saraswat (Mohali) (70-68-76) (T-18). PTI PDS PDS PDS