Sneha Singh takes 2-shot lead over Hitaashee in opening round of 4th leg of WPGT

Sneha Singh, winner of the second leg this season, shot 2-under 70 at the par-72 course and was the only player to score under par.

Her arch-rival Hitaashee Bakshi, who also has one win this season, was tied for second with Khushi Khanijau, who began strongly. Hitaashee and Khushi carded 72 each.

Ridhima Dilawari was the sole fourth at 74 despite a disappointing run of three bogeys in a row on the front nine.

Amateur Zara Anand, making a rare appearance in a pro event, performed well with 2-over 74 and was tied fifth alongside Ananya Garg and Jasmine Shekar.

Sneha Singh had as many as five birdies, the most on the first day. She opened with a birdie but dropped a shot on the second. She birdied ninth to turn in 1-under. On the back nine, after a bogey on the 10th which brought her to even par, Sneha picked three birdies quickly on the 11th, 13th and 14th. A late bogey saw her finish at 70.

Hitaashee, who now leads the Hero Order of Merit, had two birdies against two bogeys, while Khushi had one birdie and no bogeys in the first 14 holes. Then she dropped shots on the 15th and 17th but birdied the 18th to ensure a par round.

Trimann Saluja (75) was eighth. Seher Atwal, Yaalisai Verma and Rhea Jha were tied ninth at 76 each.

Tee times for the second round in the fourth leg of the Women's Pro Golf Tour at East Point Golf Club in Vizag:

Tee 1

1. 8:00 am: Karishma Govind 81; Mehar Atwal 81; Rhea Purvi Saravanan 81;

2. 8:10 am: Yashita Raghav 80; Shweta Mansingh 80; Riya Yadav 80;

3. 8:20 am: Sachika Singh 80; Gauri Karhade 79; Ananya Datar 79;

4. 8:30 am: Disha Kavery 77; Sinjini Mukherjee (A) 77; Kriti Chowhan 77;

Tee 10:

5. 8:05 am: Snigdha Goswami 77; Yaalisai Verma 76; Rhea Jha 76;

6. 8:15 am: Seher Atwal 76; Trimann Saluja 75; Jasmine Shekar 74;

7. 8:25 am: Ananya Garg 74; Zara Anand (A) 74; Ridhima Dilawari 73;

8. 8:35 am: Khushi Khanijau 72; Hitaashee Bakshi 72; Sneha Singh 70. (ANI)