Gaurika Bishnoi maintained her fine form on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, shooting two-under-69 to take a one-stroke lead on the opening day of the eighth leg at the Clover Greens course near here. Vani Kapoor, fresh from her time at the Ladies European Thailand Championships, was in second place, with a three-way tie for third.
Gaurika began with a hat-trick of birdies before stumbling on holes five and six, double bogeying the former and dropping another shot on the latter. She recovered with a pair of birdies before another bogey saw her make the turn at one-under.
The 18-year-old from Haryana, who finished runner-up last week by a single shot, picked up two more strokes before a bogey on the final hole reduced her advantage.
Vani also endured an eventful front nine but a bogey-free back stretch kept her within touching distance of the leader.
Ankita Kedlaya (amateur), Amandeep Drall and Tvesa Malik, who won the seventh leg, were tied for third after returning cards of even-par 71. Neha Tripathi was one shot further behind in sixth.
The scores (top six after round one): 69: Gaurika Bishnoi; 70: Vani Kapoor; 71: Ankita Kedlaya (A), Amandeep Drall, Tvesa Malik; 72: Neha Tripathi.