Modest start for Sharmila in Geneva, Vani shoots even par in Pattaya

Vani Kapoor dropped a disappointing double bogey on her very last hole to turn in an even-par 72 and lie tied 24th after the opening round of the Ladies European Thailand Championship.

Sharmila was lying T-67 and will need a steady second round to ensure making the cut. (File Photo)

Sharmila Nicollet started the Lavaux Ladies Championship at Golf de Lavaux with a four-over 76 in the first round on the LET Access Tour, here.

Sharmila was lying T-67 and will need a steady second round to ensure making the cut. Emie Peronnin of France shot an opening 67, five under par, to take the lead.

The 23-year-old, whose best finish this season is a tie for 17th at the Viaplay Ladies Finnish Open a couple of weeks ago, was delighted to produce her career-best score, with six birdies and a single bogey on the par four 13th.

Italy’s Stefania Avanzo produced the lowest round of her season so far, with a 4 under par 68, to sit in second place. Eight players on tied on three under par.

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In Pattaya

Vani Kapoor dropped a disappointing double bogey on her very last hole to turn in an even-par 72 and lie tied 24th after the opening round of the Ladies European Thailand Championship, here, on Thursday.

Lying two-under after 17 holes, Vani, who started with a birdie on 10th, dropped a double bogey on Par-4 ninth hole. Her otherwise satisfying round had four birdies, two bogeys and a double on a hot and humid day.

The other Indian, Gaurika Bishnoi (75) was lying 80th and she will need a strong second round to make the cut. She had two birdies and five bogeys at Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club, here.

Anne Van Dam of the Netherlands produced a brilliant five-under-par 67 to share the lead with local player Aunchisa Utama on day one.

The 22-year-old Dutchwoman made a flying start with four straight birdies from the 11th, her second hole. She double bogeyed the par-4 15th, but recovered with a pair of birdies on the 16th and 18th to make the turn in four-under.

England’s Gabriella Cowley and Australian Whitney Hillier, whose mother is from Thailand, are both only one shot adrift, with Beth Allen from the United States and Maria Palacios from Spain both on three-under.

The shot of the day belonged to Scotland’s Michele Thomson, who holed out with a 7-iron from 164 yards on the par-3 14th for her first professional ace.

In Bengaluru

Overnight leader Tvesa Malik weathered a rocky start to maintain her lead after two rounds of the seventh leg of Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, here, on Thursday.

Tvesa, who shot an even-par 72 on the first day, went 4-over 76 for the second day at the Prestige Golfshire course, but her lead increased from one to two shots.

Her total of 148 was two shots clear of second-placed amateur Seher Atwal (71), whose card was the first sub-par score of the event, and Amandeep Drall (77). Both Seher and Amandeep are 6-over 150.

Smriti Mehra (75) and Asian Games-bound amateur Ridhima Dilawari (76) were Tied-4th at 151, while Gursimar Badwal (81) was sixth at 154.

Neha Tripathi (76), amateur Pranavi Urs (80), Afshan Fatima (78) and Anisha Padukone (84) occupied the seventh to 10th places.

In the final round on Friday, Tvesa, looking for her second win of the season, will be in the lead group with Seher and Amandeep, while Smriti, Ridhima and Gursimar will be in the group ahead of them.