Golf: Amandeep coasts to four-shot win in 5th Leg of WPGT

GURUGRAM — Amandeep Drall rode a roller-coaster in the fourth and final round but managed to hold onto her four-shot lead to coast to a comfortable win in the INR 19 lakh fifth leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour (WPGT) at the Golden Greens Golf Club. Amandeep, who last won 13 months ago, overcame two early bogeys and a double bogey later held on for 1-under 71 and a total of 10-under 278.

Gaurika Bishnoi, who shot 66 on the second day but was unable to conjure up the same magic, also shot 71 and stayed second at 6-under 282. Khushi Khanijau (73) was third at 3-under 285, while Hitaashee Bakshi (72) and Ridhima Dilawari closed with an eagle for a 74 and completed the Top 5.

Amandeep, who began the final day with a four-shot lead, bogeyed the second and third, but with Gaurika also dropping a shot on the second, the former kept a sizeable lead. Both players birdied the fifth, but Gaurika dropped a shot on the sixth. A birdie on the seventh hole did give her an outside chance, but Amandeep ensured there would be no hiccups with an eagle on the ninth. It was her fourth eagle of the week.

On the back nine, Amandeep birdied the 11th but dropped a double bogey on Par-4 17th. She shrugged that off with a closing birdie, as Gaurika managed only one birdie in her last 11 holes. The win also brought a lot of relief for Amandeep, who after a drop in form lost her full Tour card on the Ladies European Tour. This win would pep her up as she tries to find her form to get back to the higher Tours.

For Gaurika, making her first start of 2024, was a good beginning. She will be back for the sixth leg next week, as will Amandeep.

Seher Atwal and Neha Tripathi with 76 each were tied for sixth, Ananya Garg (73) was eighth and Lavanya Jadon (74) was the top amateur and ninth. Jasmine Shekar (70) and Astha Madan (72) rounded off as Tied tenth. Sneha Singh, who did not have a great week, did have her best round of the week on the fourth day with a 71 that included an eagle. She finished T-12 but it was not enough to keep her on the top of the Hero Order of Merit.

Hitaashee Bakshi who finished fourth this week, now has top honours with Sneha right behind her. Amandeep, who was having a lacklustre season, rose to third place with the win at this event. Khushi Khanijau and Jasmine Shekar are fourth and fifth in the money rankings.