Pranavi Urs has been travelling the world playing at the best available amateur and junior events and is once again back for the Hero Women’s Indian Open at DLF Golf & Country Club, which saw its first competitive round today.
Pranavi Urs, a past winner on the domestic pro tour, even while being an amateur, picked up shots on her final two holes for a one-under-par card of 71 at the DLF Golf and Country Club to be the best-placed Indian on the first day but she was four shots behind the two leaders.
Pranavi, teeing off in the afternoon, played a steady out-bound nine to make the turn on level par 36. Though she dropped a shot early, back to back birdies in the final two holes made sure she would be the only Indian to go under par on the opening day.
Even as Pranavi carded 71 and earned the bragging rights for being the best Indian among the 22 playing here, there was Diksha Dagar and domestic tour regulars Amandeep Drall and Tvesa Malik in Tied-18th place with 72 each.
England’s Meghan Maclaren ranked 6th and Australian Whitney Hilliers ranked 42nd on the LET Order of Merit shot matching 5-under 67 to finish as joint leaders.
MacLaren said later, “It was a bit of a mixture. I made a lot of birdies and was really, really positive. Thought I left some birdies out there, did a couple of really stupid things but I can’t really complain.
“It wasn’t very nice to get up at 4 am but for the first hour you have an empty course in front of you and really pure greens so that was nice though it got bad later, really burning hot. It just kept getting stickier and stickier out there.”
Added Hillier, “I had six birdies in total. I made a bogey on the first hole that I got back very quickly, which I was very happy with. Thought I hit it really well out there, hit it close all day and gave myself lots of birdie chances, which is good.”
“The course is in great shape, much different from what it was when I was last here in 2015. It’s changed a lot since then, it’s just really impressive; a very, very beautiful golf course, one of the best in the world I would say.”