Golf: Pranavi best placed among Indians in Joburg Ladies Open

Johannesburg, April 16 Pranavi Urs carded a bogey-free 3-under 70 in the first round of the Joburg Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour and was best placed to make the cut among the five Indians at the event. At the end of Day 1, she was Tied-21st at the Par-73 Randpark Golf Club.

Tvesa Malik and Diksha Dagar ended the first round at 1-under 72 and were tied-54th, while Avani Prashanth shot 2-over 75, and Hitaashee Bakshi also had a disappointing day with 4-over 77. Avani and Hitaashee will need to shoot very low rounds to make the cut.

Tvesa, playing her first LET event of the season, was 4-under at one stage through the front nine but finished at 1-under 72 as he gave away a double bogey and a bogey on the 15th and the 16th holes.

Diksha, ninth on the LET Order of Merit, had five birdies, three bogeys, and a double in her round of 72.

The lead was shared by Agathe Laisne of France, Brianna Navarossa of the US, and Ariane Klotz of France, all of whom carded 7-under 66 each.

Laura Beveridge of Scotland and Justice Bosio of Australia were tied for fourth at 6-under 67 each. Slovenia’s Pia Babnik, Wales’ Lydia Hall, and France’s Celine Herbin round off the top-10 in a tie for seventh on five-under par.

Elsewhere on day one, home favourite Casandra Alexander carded a round of 69 (-4) despite bogeying her opening hole, the par-4 10th. The Joburg local is the highest-ranked player in the field, sitting 41st in the Women’s World Golf Rankings.

“It wasn’t a solid round,” Alexander said. “It was a bit of a rollercoaster, but a tidy rollercoaster. It’s still early days, but it’s nice to shoot an under-par round on day one. I had a disappointing bogey finish with a three-putt, but that’s golf, and it happens. I’ve hopefully got three days of good golf to come.”

A total of 73 players went under par on day one at Randpark Golf Club. This included five South African players.

--IANS

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