Pune: Vaishavi Sinha played a bogey-free round of 4 under 68 to grab the early lead in the Hero-Oxford Women’s Pro Golf Championship. Following Vaishavi are Kiran Matharu and Neha Tripathi who are placed second and third respectively after the first round. The INR 6,00,000 event is being played at the Oxford Golf & Country Club, Pune and will culminate on 27th February.


Vaishavi started impressively, carding two birdies on the 2nd and 8th holes in her front nine. She sustained the momentum in the latter half as well, adding two more birdies on the 15th and 17th holes. Carding a total of 4 under 68 in the first round, Vaisahavi currently leads the field with a two stroke edge over Indian origin English golfer Kiran Matharu. Kiran carded 2 under 70 in the first round, which included three birdies on the 4th, 7th and 18th holes. She dropped a shot on the 17th hole to be placed second.

Kolkata’s Neha Tripathi is placed third. Her round was a mixed bag, which included three birdies on the 14th, 15th and 17th holes with an equal number of bogies on the 8th, 10th and 16th holes. Hero Order of Merit leader Vani Kapoor carded 1 over 73 to take the fourth spot in the first round. Vani played a birdie-less round with a lone bogey on the 1st hole. Hero MotoCorp sponsored Bengaluru golfer Sharmila Nicollet and Kapurthala’s Gursimar Badwal are tied fifth, with identical scores of 2 over 74 after the first round.

Sharmila had an indifferent day on the field. She carded three bogies on the 2nd, 8th and 9th holes with a lone birdie on the 4th hole in her front nine. She played with much more control in the latter half, carding one more birdie on the 15th hole while dropping just one shot on the 12th hole. Gursimar Badwal carded three birdies on the 2nd, 15th and 16th holes. However, bogies on the 6th, 7th, 9th, 13thand 17th holes spoilt her score line and she finished just ahead of Delhi’s Gauri Monga and Panchkula’s Amandeep Drall, who are tied seventh with identical scores of 3 over 75 after the first day’s play.