Nalini Singh wins title in 10th leg of Hero Women’s pro golf

Kolkata: Nalini Singh Siwach rallied from a two-shot deficit to beat overnight leader Smriti Mehra and  win  the 10th leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf tournament in Royal Calcutta golf Club. InNalini starting the day two behind Smriti, carded an even par 72 with three birdies and three bogeys to finish the tournament at nine-over 225, which was two better than Smriti, whose final day 76 saw her end the week at 227.


It was Nalini’s third title of the season. Her first win came in the eighth leg and earlier in the fifth leg she was the leading pro, while amateur Vani Kapoor topped the field.

It was the first-ever women’s pro event at the historic RCGC, which has hosted many editions of the men 's Indian Open in the past.

Ankita Tiwana (78) was third at 235, while Neha Tripathi (76) was fourth at 238 and Rani (76) finished fifth at 239. Pallavi Jain and Nikki Ponappa, both carded 78, and ended in a tie for sixth at 240.

Nalini, one of the young and exciting prospects in Indian women’s pro golf, opened with three straight pars before her first birdie on the fourth. She dropped bogeys on sixth and seventh, but the birdie on ninth saw her turn in even par, by which time Smriti with two bogeys and no birdies had gone two-over for the day and the duo was tied for the lead.

On the back nine, Nalini birdied the 11th and bogeyed the 14th and parred the rest to finish at 72. In contrast Smriti bogeyed 14th and 17th and her 76 for the day saw her finish two behind Nalini.

This is the first-ever WGAI event in Kolkata and carries a purse of Rs. 3,00,000 and concludes on February 17.

The top two on annual Hero OOM will receive two LET exemptions in the 2012-13 season. In addition the top four will be granted exemption to play in the LET Access series in Europe.