Hero WPGT 2022: Career-best 66 gives Gaurika 5-shot lead on Day 1

Gaurika Bishnoi turned in a career-best six-under 66 to grab a five shot lead after the opening day of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour here on Wednesday.

REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: Gaurica was five clear of the second placed trio, Sneha Singh and Jasmine Shekar along with pro Jyotsana Singh who all carded 1-under 71.

Gaurika Bishnoi turned in a career-best six-under 66 to grab a five shot lead after the opening day of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour here on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old Gurugram golfer, who last won on the Hero WPGT Tour in 2019 - a season in which she picked two titles, was five clear of the second placed trio, which included two amateurs, Sneha Singh and Jasmine Shekar along with pro Jyotsana Singh who all carded 1-under 71.

Ridhima Dilawari, who had four birdies in a span of five holes, dropped three bogeys on the back nine as she ended with an even par 72.

Gaurika, who was hit by Covid in January, opened with a string of five pars as she was in the first group to tee off. She then birdied three times in the last four holes of the front nine to make the turn at 3-under.

She added four more birdies on the back nine on 11th, 13th, 14th and 17th and her sole blemish came on the Par-4 12th.

Amateur Sneha had three birdies on the front nine and two bogeys on the back nine.

Another amateur Jasmine, starting on 10th, was 3-over through 11 holes. She then struck a purple patch with 4 birdies in six holes between the third and eighth.

Jyotsana, also starting on 10th, had a bogey on 11th but then holed three birdies between 12th and 15th. On the second nine she birdied first but bogeyed second and third and parred the rest.

Jahanvi Bakshi and Anisha Agarwalla shot 73 each and were Tied-6th while Hitaashee Bakshi, Shweta Mansingh and Nayanika Sanga were Tied-8th with 74 each.