Hitaashee takes 2-shot lead; Amandeep, Neha close behind in Hero WPGT

Hitaashee Bakshi roared back into form with a 2-under 70 to take a 2-shot lead in the first round of the 10th Leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour here on Wednesday.

Hitaashee, the leader on the Order of Merit, had six birdies but also gave away a double bogey and two late bogeys at the Prestige Golfshire.

She is ahead of two other experienced stars, Amandeep Drall (72) and Neha Tripathi (73) as they form the lead trio.

Four players, including talented amateur Mannat Brar, Khushi Khanijau, Anisha Agarwalla and Jasmine Shekar, are tied for the fourth place with cards of 2-over 74 each.

The winner of the ninth leg Vidhatri Urs (75), whose round had three bogeys and no birdies, shared the eighth spot with Kriti Chowhan, while Rhea Jha, Astha Madan and amateur Keerthana Rajeev shared the 10th place at 4-over 76.

Hitaashee, who was third recently at the Singapore Ladies Masters, had five birdies on the front nine and one more on the 18th.

Hitaashee opened the round with a birdie and added three more from the fifth to the seventh holes. She dropped a double bogey on the eighth and then picked a shot back on the ninth. She turned in 3-under 33.

On the back nine, she bogeyed the 16th and the 17th.

Amandeep had three birdies against three bogeys, while Neha Tripathi, making a return from a back injury, had six birdies. However, she also dropped two doubles and three bogeys to card 1-over 73.

Last year’s Order of Merit winner, Sneha Singh was tied for 13th place with Gauri Karhade, Agrima Manral and Ananya Garg at 77.