Hitaashee Bakshi, already a two-time winner this season, landed a late eagle on the 14th hole and carded 4-under 68 to grab a one-shot lead over Sneha Singh, the first round leader, in the 11th Leg of the Hero WomenтАЩs Pro Golf Tour at the Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club. Local Hyderabad star Sneha Singh, looking for her first win as a pro, was hit by a double bogey on the Par-5 seventh, as she carded 2-under 70 and dropped to second place.
Hitaashee (69-68) is now seven-under 137 and Sneha (68-70) trails her by one shot at the scenic Boulder Hills Golf and Country Club.
Hitaashee birdied first, sixth and 11th and then eagled the 14th to go five-under for the day. A dropped shot on 16th pulled her back by one but she is still one clear of the field.
Sneha had a birdie on third and then had a bogey on fourth to become even par. A double bogey on seventh was followed by a birdie on ninth and she turned in one-over 37. Birdies on 11th, 14th and 17th helped her recover lost ground and card 70 to be placed second.
Pranavi Urs (70-71) with four birdies and three bogeys in a round of 71 lurks behind at 3-under 141 but the four-time winner this season is capable of a low score on the final day to turn the tables on the leading duo. Pranavi, seeking a fifth title of the season, is tied third alongside Nayanika Sanga (69-72). Nayanika, who was cruising with a fine 3-under for the front nine, stumbled with three bogeys in a matter of five holes on the back nine. She did recover slightly with a birdie on 17th.
The next three spots are occupied by amateurs Keerthana R Nair (70-72), Heena Kang (71-72) and Vidhatri Urs (72-72), who are fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.
Khushi Khanijau (77-68) made a huge nine shot improvement from the first to the second round, and is tied eighth with Seher Atwal (70-75). Shweta Mansingh (69-78) is tenth.
The cut fell at 9-over 153 and 19 players will play the third and final round.
Tee times for the third and final round of the 11th Leg of the Hero WomenтАЩs Pro Golf Tour at Boulder Hills Golf and Country Club, Hyderabad:
1 8:30 am : Mehar Atwal 153; Oviya Reddi 153;
2 8:40 am : Anisha Agarwalla 152; Geetika Ahuja 152;
3 8:50 am : Rhea Purvi Saravanan 151; Ishvari Prasanna 150; Jahanvi Bakshi 150;
4 9:00 am : Kriti Chowhan (A) 150; Disha Kavery 149; Shweta Mansingh 147;
5 9:15 am : Seher Atwal 145; Khushi Khanijau 145; Vidhatri Urs (A) 144;
6 9:25 am : Heena Kang (A) 143; Keerthana R. Nair (A) 142; Nayanika Sanga 141;
7 9:35 am : Pranavi Urs 141; Sneha Singh 138; Hitaashee Bakshi 137;
