Bangalore: Vani Kapoor played an impressive round of 4-under 68 on the first day to grab the lead in the 8th Leg of the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour at the Eagleton Golf Resort here on Wednesday. Trailing her in second position is Kolkata’s Neha Tripathi at 1 under 71. The INR 6,00,000 event will culminate on 17th June 2016.

Delhi’s Vani Kapoor started impressively and played a blemish free front-nine with a birdie on the 8th hole. She faltered and carded a bogey on the 12th hole in her back-nine, but quickly regained her composure and fired four consecutive birdies on the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th holes to finish the round at 4 under 68. Hero Order of Merit leader Neha Tripathi played a bogey free round of 1 under 71 to take the second position. She carded the lone birdie of her round on the 6th hole.

Delhi’s Gauri Monga is placed third with a score of 1 over 73 after the first round. Gauri carded a birdie and a bogey apiece on the 3rd and 7th holes respectively. She added another birdie on the 10th hole in her back-nine. However, two dropped shots on the 12th and 16th meant that she had to be content with the third position. Kapurthala’s Gursimar Badwal had an indifferent start and carded three bogeys on the 1st, 2nd and 6th holes. She played with much more control in the latter half, playing an even par back-nine to finish the round in fourth position with a score of 3 over 75.

Chandigarh’s Saaniya Sharma and amateur Suchitra Ramesh are placed tied fifth with identical scores of 4 over 76 after 18 holes. Saaniya’s card on the day included three bogeys on the 8th, 10th and 18th holes along with a double bogey on the 11th hole. She also carded a birdie on the 9th hole. Suchitra’s eventful round included three birdies on the 1st, 8th and 9th holes along with seven bogies on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 10th and 16th.

Pune’s Shweta Galande is placed seventh with a score of 5 over 77, followed by Delhi’s Mehar Atwal and Jaipur’s Afshan Fatima in tied eighth position at 79.