Neha opens up solid lead on Day 2

Overnight leader Neha Tripathi returned a second successive round of two- under 68 to extend her lead by nine shots over Gursimar Badwal and Gaurika Bishnoi in shared second place on Day Two of the 15th Leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Palms Golf Club and Resort in Lucknow on Thursday.

She opened with two birdies and followed up with two more birdies to make the turn at fourunder 30.

She was playing steady after the turn, until a hat- trick of bogeys damaged her card and hopes of stretching the lead to double figures. However, a closing birdie prevented further damage.

Gursimar ( 75- 70), winner of two events this season, produced the day’s second- best card at level par with two birdies and bogeys each on the front nine along with a bogey and a birdie on the back nine. It lifted her from overnight eighth going into the final round.

Meanwhile, Gaurika Bishnoi carded a four- over 74 to maintain her joint second place from Round One. Jaipur’s Afshan Fatima and Panchkula’s Amandeep Drall had five over 75s which meant Afshan dropped to fourth, Amandeep slipped one place on the leaderboard.

Mehar Atwal ( 74- 75) and Smriti Mehra ( 73- 76) shared sixth place after shooting 75 and 76 respectively. Tvesa Malik ( 7675) and Ayesha Kapur ( 73- 79) were eighth and ninth while Saaniya Sharma ( 79- 74) shared 10th place with amateur Gurjot Badwal. Siddhi Kapoor carded 82 to drop to 12th position on the leaderboard.