Pranavi Urs became the first golfer in the history of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour to win successive tournaments with different status. After winning the second leg of the 2020 Hero WPGT in her last start as an amateur, Pranavi has now won the third leg of the Tour, in her first start as a professional at the TNGF Cosmo Golf course on Friday.
Pranavi Urs receiving winner’s cheque from Mr. K C Raghunath, Course Committee Chairman TNGF
This is Pranavi’s third win on the Hero WPGT, but the previous two – one last month and the earlier one in 2018 – came as amateurs. The win on her pro debut also augurs well for a promising career.
The win did not come easy or without tension. Pranavi, who lost this season’s first leg with a triple bogey on the closing hole, came to the 18thhole at the TNGF Cosmo Golf course with a two-shot lead despite having two bogeys and a birdie in her previous three holes.
Pranavi, who shot two-under 35 for the front nine, was four-over 39 for the back nine. That included bogeys on 10th, 15th, 16th and a double on 18th. The birdie in between on Par-3 17th saved her.
Amandeep Drall, two ahead of Pranavi at the start, was even for the front nine and level with Pranavi with nine to play. On the back nine, Amandeep was unable to find any birdies and dropped shots on 10th, 11th, 16th, 17thand 18th. Even a par on any of the last three would have got her into a play-off as she ended one short of Pranavi.
Oviya Reddi, the local teen, who had done so well so far, had a tough final day with three double bogeys and three other bogeys against three birdies.
Saaniya Sharma showed that good course management would pay as she carded the day’s only sub par score. It was also the second best of the week after Pranavi’s second round 71.
Saaniya tied for third with Oviya, for whom this was the best finish as a pro.
Vani Kapoor (74) finished fifth, while Siddhi Kapoor (72), amateur Sneha Singh (74), Neha Tripathi (76) and Afshan Fatima (78) were all tied for sixth.
Pranavi continued her fine season, as she has finished second, first and first in three starts, but won for the first time as a pro. She will however need to look at her finishing woes and the tension she puts herself under in the closing stages. But for the last four holes – one of which was a birdie, she was solid over the last two rounds. Also, her remarkable fight back to get into contention and then win after a first round 80 was very creditable.
For Amandeep, the title stayed elusive as yet again she was not able to convert her position into a win, while third placed Oviya Reddi announced that she is now settling down well into the pro ranks.
Ananya Datar, who slipped in the final round with 78 and finished Tied-10th, is on top of the Hero Order of Merit, while Afshan Fatima, who also shot 78 on the final day is second and Amandeep Drall is third.
