Women’s golf tour: Gursimar rallies to triumph

Gursimar Badwal found her touch in time to return with a card of four-under 68 and grab her maiden title of the season, winning the ninth leg of the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour (WPGT). The 24-year-old from Kapurthala, who had shot 71 and 75 in her first two rounds, produced the day’s best round to take her total to two-under 214.

This is only the second win for Gursimar on the Hero WPGT and her first win came 18 months ago at the BPGC, when she won the fifth leg of the Tour.

Interestingly, she had a closing 68, even at the BPGC, but that was par-70, while Prestige Golfshire, where she emerged victorious today is par-72.

Gursimar finished two shots ahead of overnight leader Neha Tripathi, who tripped on the final day with a 75 and ended at even par-216. Playing in the second last group, Gursimar started five shots behind Neha. But, she gave herself a good chance with birdies on the first and third.

In the meantime, overnight leader Neha, playing in the last group bogeyed second, double bogeyed third and bogeyed the fourth again.

As Neha dropped four shots in first four holes, Gursimar gained two. The swing of six shots meant the Kapurthala girl had moved ahead.

From there Gursimar made no mistakes and despite a bogey on ninth she had three fine birdies on the back nine 12th, 13th and 16th. Neha had a bogey on the seventh, but had birdies on 12th and 14th.

Gursimar finished at two-under 214 and waited for the final group, which had Gaurika, who had a chance of picking up another title, but faltered with a double bogey on 17th and 18th.

Gaurika finished with a round of 74 and a total of 217, and was third behind Gursimar and Neha.

Amandeep Drall (74) and Afshan Fatima (71) were tied for seventh at 223, while Vani Kapoor had her worst result of the season on the domestic Tour with a final round of 78, also her worst for the week. With 225 she tied with Suchitra Ramesh (72) for the ninth spot.