Jaipur, Nov 12 (IANS) Amateur Ojaswini Saraswat, who had hogged the headlines by becoming the second youngest-ever to make the cut on the Ladies European Tour (LET), and the youngest Indian at the Women’s Indian Open when she successfully made it to the weekend, is back in the news with a fine opening round in Jaipur.
The 13-year-old, who played alongside the much-decorated Vani Kapoor in the first round, landed a late eagle on her way to a 1-over 71 that gave her a share of the lead with Ananya Datar at the Par-70 course at Rambagh Golf Club in the 14th Leg of Women’s Professional Golf Tour of India (WPGT).
Ojaswini, a multiple IGU winner, took advantage of her familiarity with the Rambagh Golf Club, which is her home course where she plays often.
On a day when none of the players broke par, Durga Nittur and Khushi Khanijau were two shots behind at 3-over 73 in tied-third place, while there was a big bunch in tied-fifth place. Khushi also hails from Jaipur and hence is very familiar with the Rambagh course.
The Order of Merit leader, Ridhima Dilawari, veteran Neha Tripathi, Shweta Mansingh, Jahnavi Prakhya and sisters Lavanya and Riya Jadon were in a seven-way tie for the fifth place at 4-over 74.
Pre-tournament favourite and runner-up at the Women’s Indian Open last month, Vani Kapoor was T-12 alongside Shagun Narain at 5-over 75. Neither of them had any birdies through the day. Amandeep Drall, Tvesa Malik, Seher Atwal and Sneha Sharan were in a tie for 14th at 6-over.
Ojaswini, a former medallist at the US Kids World Championship and the US Kids European Championship, started with a string of six pars before back-to-back bogeys set her back to 2-over for the front nine. A third bogey on the tenth meant she was 3-over, but six more pars later, she eagled the Par-5 17th and got to 1-under and closed with a par.
Ananya, who in 2020 picked a winners’ cheque after finishing second behind the then amateur Pranavi Urs, is now seeking to become an outright winner for the first time. She has contended many times, and on the first day when birdies were difficult to come by, she had four, three of them on the back nine. Overall, she had four birdies against five bogeys, three of them on the front nine and two on the last two holes.
Ridhima Dilawari has won four times this season and has a big lead on the Merit list with only two events, including the current one in Jaipur, remaining this season. Vani, with two wins and three runner-up finishes, is lying second.
–IANS
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