Golfer Shweta Galande pips Vani, Gursimar in playoff

PUNE'S SHWETA GALANDE held her nerve to pip Gursimar Badwal and Vani Kapoor in a thrilling three-way playoff on the ninth hole to win the season-ending Rs.5 lakh 18th leg of the Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour at the Rambagh Golf Club in Jaipur on Friday.

Overnight leader Shweta carded 1 over 72 on the final day to claim her second professional title. Shweta's front nine was a mixed bag wherein she carded two birdies on the second and fourth holes along with an equal number of bogeys on the third and fifth.

She added another birdie to her tally on the 13th. However, bogeys on the 12th and 17th forced her into a three way play off as she finished with a total score of 217 along with Vani and Gursimar after the final round.

Delhi's Vani started the day in second position and returned with an even par score to end tied second. The Order of Merit leader started cautiously, carding a lone birdie on the seventh while dropping two shots on the third and the sixth in her front nine.

She fired two more birdies on the 15th and 17th. She just needed a par on the final hole to win her sixth title of the year but Vani ended with a bogey on the 18th that dented her chances and she eventually lost in the playoff.

Kapurthala's Gursimar, who started the day in tied third, came up with an effort of 1 under 70 to finish tied second. Her round consisted of three birdies on the sixth, 12th and 15th as against bogeys on the ninth and 10th.

Kolkata's Smriti Mehra and Panchkula's Amandeep Drall finished with identical totals of 220 to end tied fourth. Smriti returned a card of 2 under 69, the best score of the day. She fired four birdies on the eighth, ninth, 16th and 17th while dropping shots on the sixth and 18th. Her tally of four birdies was the maximum by any player on the day.

Rookie Amandeep carded 2 over 73 and her round included two birdies on the first and fifth along with the same number of bogeys on the 13th and 18th, and also a double on the second.

English woman Kiran Matharu returned a card of 2 over 73 to total 222 and finish sixth. Her round consisted of three bogeys on the first, seventh and 10th as against a lone birdie on the 15th hole.

Delhi's Ankita Tiwana carded 4 over 75 to end with 224 after 54 holes. She had an eventful day as she fired in three birdies on the 15th, 16th and 17th while dropping shots on the third, fifth, 11th, 13th, and 18th along with a double bogey on the 12th.

Jaipur's Afshan Fatima ended with 225 to be eighth followed by Kolkata's Neha Tripathi in ninth position with a score of 228.

After a short break, the new season will commence in January 2016.