Ridhima wins Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour

Noida, Nov 30: Ridhima Dilawari captured her maiden professional title as she cruised to a five-shot win in the 17th Leg of the Hero Womens Pro Golf Tour at the Noida Golf Course here on Friday.

Ridhima, who turned pro soon after representing India at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, carded a steady even Par 72 to total five-over 221 and win by five shots over Gursimar Badwal.
 
In the final round, she started with a one-shot lead over the leading domestic star this year, Tvesa Malik. 

Ridhima began sedately with five pars but then bogeyed the sixth, which she neutralised with a birdie on eighth. Another dropped shot on ninth saw her turn in one-over. But by then Tvesa had dropped two shots on the front nine and fallen three back.

On the back nine Ridhima was very consistent. She played steady and did not drop any shots. She also picked up a birdie on the Par-5 14th to coast to a comfortable win.

Tvesa fell further back as she played six-over 42 for the back nine which included a triple bogey on the Par-5 17th and bogeys on 11th, 15th and 18th. She finished seventh.

Gursimar Badwal played her best round of the week with an even par 72 and climbed to second, while Millie Saroha had one of her best weeks of the year despite a 77 in the final round, and was Tied-third with Siddhi Kapoor (77).

Neha Tripathi (74) and Amandeep Drall (76) were Tied-fifth ahead of Tvesa at seventh, while Saaniya Sharma (76) and Afshan Fatima (78) were eighth and ninth. Smriti Meha, who started the week with a fine round of 72, fell back on the next two and finished tenth.

Tvesa with Rs.15,89,200 maintains her top spot on the Hero Order of Merit, while Amandeep Drall with Rs.11,56,000 is second and Neha Tripathi is the third player to cross the Rs.10 lakh mark at Rs.10,48,200.

The 18th and final leg of the season will be held from December 11 to 14 at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club.