Asian Games-bound Amateur Ridhima Wins 7th Leg on Hero WPG Tour

Bengaluru, Jun 22 (PTI) Ridhima Dilawari, who is on a summer break from Columbia University in the United States, joined a select band of amateurs, to win on the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour.

The 20-year-old Delhi girl, who started the day three shots behind the overnight leader, Tvesa Malik, carded a brilliant 4-under 68 with eight birdies against four bogeys in an aggressive display of golf at Prestige Golfshire Golf course here.

Ridhima, who is also part of the Indian team, which will play at the Asian Games later this year in Jakarta, added a 68 to her first two rounds of 75-76 to finish at 3-over and two shots ahead of Tvesa Malik (73) who totaled 221.

Ridhima joins the list of amateurs like Gurbani Singh, Aditi Ashok, Tvesa Malik (before she turned pro) and Diksha Dagar, who have won on the Hero WPG Tour.

Yet another amateur, Seher Atwal (72) finished sole third with a total of 6-over 222. Amandeep Drall (74) at 224, Neha Tripathi (72) at 227 and Gursimar Badwal (75) at 229 were fourth to sixth.

With amateurs bagging first and third places, Tvesa despite being second got the winning cheque of Rs. 1,20,000.

Amandeep and Neha picked the amounts slotted for second and third. That helped Neha stay on top of the Hero Order of Merit with winnings of Rs. 6,43,400 while Tvesa moved close behind her to second place at Rs. 6,35,600. The gap between the two is now less than Rs. 8,000.

Gursimar slipped to third on the Order of Merit, while Smriti Mehra gained a place from fifth to fourth and Saaniya Sharma, who is out of action dropped to fifth.

Amateur Pranavi Urs (73), Smriti Mehra (81), Afshan Fatima (77) and Suchitra Ramesh (77) were placed seventh to 10th.

The eighth leg begins next week on June 27t at Clover Greens, Tamil Nadu.