Pranavi triumphs on final hole

Amateur Pranavi Urs kept her composure to claim victory in the final round of the ninth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in Bengaluru on Friday.

Pranavi shot even par 72 for a total of 4- over 220 with a birdie on the final hole in the third and final round to become the second amateur to win a title this season.

Ridhima Dilawari was the first amateur to win a Hero WPGT event this season, when she finished on top in the seventh leg.

Tvesa Malik ( 75) and Gaurika Bishnoi ( 76) were tied second on 221. Gursimar Badwal ( 75) and Neha Tripathi ( 76) finished tied 4th with a total of 224, while Trisha Sunil ( 76) was sixth at 225. Amandeep Drall ( 74) and Anisha Padukone ( 74) were tied 7th at 228 as Suchitra Ramesh ( 78) was ninth at 229 and Sonam Chugh ( 74) rounded off the top 10.

Tvesa (` 7,85,600) moved to the top of the Hero WPGT Order of Merit, overtaking Neha Tripathi (` 7,53,200) and Gursimar Badwal (` 6,89,300) is third after being tied fourth this week with Neha.

Pranavi started the final day in the third place and three behind leader Gaurika Bishnoi, and two behind second placed Tvesa.

She birdied the first and 18th and in between bogeyed the third and fourth. A magnificent 25- foot putt on the final hole, which resulted in a birdie, tilted the balance in Pranavi’s favour.

In a dramatic turn of events on the final day, Gaurika dropped a bunch of shots on the front nine. Pranavi caught up with her by the time they moved to the eighth tee.

At that stage, Tvesa had moved ahead into the lead at 2- over for 45 holes, while Pranavi and Gaurika were three behind at 5over.

Tvesa was even par 36 for the front nine, while Pranavi was 1over 37 and Gaurika had a disappointing 4- over 40.

Pranavi, who had a birdie and two bogeys, maintained a steady tempo after back- to- back bogeys on third and fourth. She parred all the way to the 17th and birdied the crucial 18th.

Meanwhile Tvesa, who parred her first 15 holes of the third round, seemed to crack under pressure on the par- 5 16th and dropped a vital double bogey and added to her woes with another bogey on 17th.

Gaurika, after her bogey on third, sixth and a double on seventh, stemmed the rot with a series of pars.

When the leader group arrived on the 18th tee, all three were tied at 4- over with the prospect of a play- off looming heavily.

But Pranavi showed her mettle with a crucial birdie, while Tvesa and Gaurika managed only pars.

Pranavi shot even par 72 for a total of 4- over 220 with a birdie on the final hole to become the second amateur to win a title this season