Bengaluru: Pune amateur and overnight joint leader Raksha Phadke played stunning golf on her maiden appearance in the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour 2014, to finish at the top in the Hero KGA Women’s Pro Golf Championship. The INR 5,00,000 tournament culminated today at Bengaluru’s flagship KGA Golf course.
In strong winds, Raksha showcased maturity beyond her years and played consistent golf on a day when none from the field of 16 could card an under par score. The Pune amateur was one amongst only three players to card an even par score for the final round. Raksha’s round consisted of two birdies on the 4th and 17th holes along with two bogeys on the 8th and 15th holes. Raksha finished at the top with a total of 216 after 54 holes.
Current Hero Order of Merit leader Vani Kapoor played yet another even par round to take the joint second spot with Bangaluru amateur Anisha Padukone, with identical totals of 218 after the final round. Vani walked away with the winner’s cheque by virtue of being the best professional. Vani’s round consisted of four birdies on the 4th, 10th, 16th and 17th holes and an equal number of bogeys on the 2nd, 3rd, 7th and 14th holes.
Local amateur and overnight joint leader Anisha Padukone could not maintain the momentum going into the final round, finishing at joint second place with Vani Kapoor. Anisha’s final round of 2 over 74 consisted of five bogeys on the 2nd, 5th, 8th, 12th and 13th holes along with three birdies on the 11th, 15th and 17th holes. Anisha’s fellow city amateur Nikita Arjun finished fourth with a total of 221 after 54 holes. Nikita started off impressively with a flawless even par front nine, but surprisingly faltered in her back nine carding four bogeys on the 10th, 11th, 12th and 18th holes with just a lone birdie on the 14th hole.
Hero MotoCorp sponsored local sensation Sharmila Nicolett finished at the fifth position with a total of 223 after the final round. Her final score of 5 over 77 consisted of two bogeys on the 4th and 11th holes and an equal number of double bogeys on the 10th and 14th holes. She carded a lone birdie on the 13th hole.
Chandigarh’s Saaniya Sharma was tied for the sixth place with Kolkata’s Neha Tripathi and Pune’s Shweta Galande with identical totals of 226 after 54 holes. Saaniya carded three birdies on 3rd, 9th and 11th holes and an equal number of bogeys on the 7th, 9th and 14th holes. Kolkata’s Neha Tripathi played an indifferent round today carding four bogeys on the7th, 9th, 14th and 18th holes along with a lone birdie on the16th hole. Pune’s Shweta Galande would quickly want to move past her inconsistent performance. Her round consisted of six bogeys on the 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th, 13th and 16th holes, and a double bogey on the 8th hole. She could manage just two birdies on the 11th and 12th holes.
Amateurs Mehar Atwal and Ankita Kedlaya were placed 9th and 10th with totals of 228 and 231 respectively after 54 holes.
The tour now moves to the beautiful Eagleton Golf Resort in Bengaluru for Leg 9. The Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour 2014 comprises a total of fifteen legs spanning across key locations in India.
