Zara Anand leads 13th leg of WPGT by one shot, Lavanya Jadon lies 2nd

Gurugram, Sep 24 (IANS) Amateur Zara Anand produced the day’s best round of 2-under 70, which was one of the only two rounds under par, to move into the lead after 36 holes in the Rs. 23 lakh 13th Leg of the Women’s Professional Golf Tour (WPGT) at DLF Golf and Country Club.

Zara, who joins an American University on a golf scholarship later this year, is now even par 144 for two rounds. Zara, who carded 74 on the first day, had five birdies against three bogeys on the day.

Zara moved ahead of the first round leader, Lavanya Jadon (73-72), and holds a one-shot lead going into the final round. Lavanya had three birdies, two of them in the first three holes, and all three bogeys on her card came on the back nine.

Zara, who was seventh in the Queen Sirikit Cup in Japan earlier this year, led the amateur brigade as four of them were placed inside the Top-10.

Experienced Amandeep Drall, a former runner-up at the Hero Women’s Indian Open, added 73 to her first round 74 to be third at 3-over 147, while Astha Madan (75-74) was fourth. Amandeep had two birdies, both on the front nine, against three bogeys.

Astha Madan opened with a birdie and a double bogey, but over the next 16 holes, she had birdies on the third and the 17th and parred the other holes. Promising young amateurs Ananyaa Sood (76-74) and Kriti Chowhan (76-74) were tied for fifth place at 6-over 150.

Vani Kapoor, who has four wins this season, was struggling to find her touch, as she managed only 76 after the first round of 75 and was tied seventh with Jahaanvie Walia (76-75). Gaurika Bishnoi (77-75) was tied with two amateurs, Mannat Brar (76-76) and Lavanya Gupta (75-77), for tenth place.

The cut fell at 164, and 31 players made the cut and will play in the final round.

--IANS

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