Pune: Ridhima Dilawari pushed aside better-known and senior challengers as she compiled an impressive one-under par 70 and took a huge six-shot lead at the end of the first round of the Usha Maharashtra Ladies Golf on Tuesday.

The 14-year-old Ridhima, who has been maturing into a fine golfer and had some good results including a top-5 at the Usha Southern India Ladies Golf, was six clear of Seher Atwal (76), while Gurbani Singh, leader on the Order of Merit for Combined Category A-B, and Aditi Ashok were tied third at 77.

Ridhima, who turned 14 in July, is currently second behind Aditi Ashok in Order of Merit for Category B . Aditi is not playing this week and on Tuesday Ridhima took a big step to making her presence felt at the event. She overcame an early double bogey on the second hole, to sink four other birdies against just one bogey for a 70.

Seher was four-over for the front nine, but had two birdies and three bogeys on back nine for a 37.

Gurbani struggled with her putting with six bogeys and a double against just two birdies in her card of 77, while Millie Saroha was also four over
for the front nine. But she recovered with two birdies on 10th and 12th, at which point she seemed to be doing well. Then she lapsed into errors with five straight bogeys from 14th to the 18th and ended at 77.

Millie Saroha and Gurbani led Category A with 77 each, while in Category B, Ridhima (70) was way ahead of Seher Atwal (76).

In Category C, Riya Ahuja (81) was leading with Arushi Pandey trailing second at 86. In Category D, Tanishka Kumar (82) was on top with Anika Varma (89) second.

This is the penultimate event of the Ladies amateur Tour with only one more event, the All India Amateurs to be held in December at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC).

By Indian Sports News Network