Lakhmehar takes first-round lead in Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour

The 21-year-old, who has never won on the Tour, held the lead outright for the first time in the ninth round.

(Representative Image) Fancied names like Jahanvi Bakshi, amateurs Avani Prashanth and Sneha Singh were all left struggling, while Lakhmehar took the lead.

On a day when none of the players broke par, Chandigarh's Lakhmehar Pardesi led by two shots after the first round in the ninth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour here on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old, who has never won on the Tour, held the lead outright for the first time. She led despite having no birdies and three bogeys.

Trimann Saluja, 19, who turned pro last year, was lying second after a round that resembled a roller-coaster.

She had three birdies, four bogeys and two double bogeys for a five-over 77 at the NOIDA Golf Course.

Fancied names like Jahanvi Bakshi, amateurs Avani Prashanth and Sneha Singh were all left struggling.

Besides Jahanvi and Avani, two others Siddhi Kapoor and Ananya Datar, shot 78 for a tied third place, while Hitaashee Bakshi and Anousha Tripathi carded 79 each.

Six players were tied for 10th at eight-over 80, while last week’s winner, Sneha Singh shot nine-over 81.

The course played rather difficult and scoring was not easy. Birdies were few and many players did not have a single one.