Amateur Avani Prashanth holds five-shot lead in 15th leg of WPGT

Avani Prashanth, already a two-time winner in 2021 on the pro circuit, put herself in the driver's seat after the first round with a superb 4-under 68 on the first day of the 15th Leg of the Women's Pro Golf Tour here at the Chandigarh Golf Club.

After a bogey-free 4-under front nine, Avani had two bogeys and two birdies on the back nine for the day's only under-par round. Avani, who has had a busy international season this year, birdied second and then three in a row from fourth to sixth and later had birdies on the 12th and 13th. The dropped shots came on the 10th and 15th.

The 16-year-old golfer Avani is now five shots clear of eight players who are tied at 1-over 73. The pack of eight includes last week's winner Ridhima Dilawari and two amateurs, Heena Kang and Jia Kataria. The others are Siddhi Kapoor, Rhea Purvi Saravanan, Anisha Agarwalla and Lakhmehar Pardesi.

Gaurika Bishnoi, who began with a double bogey and a bogey on the first two holes, finished with 74 and was tied ninth alongside Hitaashee Bakshi.

Among other prominent names, Sneha Singh (77) was tied for 13th, Neha Tripathi and Seher Atwal were tied for 19th with 78 and Afshan Fatima, runner-up last week, was 23rd with a round of 79.

In 2021, Avani won the third and the 11th Legs at BPGC, Mumbai and Panchkula Golf Club on the Women's Pro Golf Tour. She was also runner-up at the seventh leg in DLF, Gurugram and the 10th leg at the same Chandigarh Golf Club.

( With inputs from ANI )

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