Hitaashee rides a roller-coaster in Round 3, stretches lead to three in Women’s Indian Open; 5 Indians in top 20
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
At the Hero Women Indian Open, played on the green‑faced DLF Golf and Athletic Club in Gurugram, India, 21‑year‑old Hitaashee Bakshi kept a clear three‑shot advantage after the third round of the $500,000 tournament. Her 70‑67‑70 score line, all under par, gives her 9‑under 207 over 54 holes and keeps the under‑par record in the front row of the leaderboard.
Bakshi is the only player who has snatched under‑par rounds every day of the week, and she stays three shots ahead of England’s three‑time Ladies European Tour champion Alice Hewson, who posted 69‑72‑69 for a 6‑under 210. By the time the green‑box helmeted players shot out, Bakshi’s advantage was ticking to six when Hewson, playing two groups behind, birdied the 17th and 18th to shrink the lead back to three shots.
The Indian contingent has done particularly well on the cut‑line map. Pranavi Urs (72‑67‑73) sits third at 4‑under, while rookie Avani Prashanth (73‑71‑70) tied for fourth after a steady Tuesday round of 70 that included three birdies but only one bogey. An even‑score group of amateurs, including Zara Anand and others, finish tied‑fourth and remain in the hunt.
Other named Indians who made the cut are Vani Kapoor (74, 1‑under 215) and Amandeep Drall (72, even par 216), who was a runner‑up last year. Six of the dozen Indians who made the cut finished inside the top 12 – a sign the country’s women golfers are turning into a serious force on the LET.
Bakshi repeated the steady nerves that have carried her through the first three days. “It was exhausting on the back‑nine,” she said, “but I kept my calm and gambled on the back‑handed shots.” She outlined how a rough that caught her near the 7th hole forced her to chip from a tricky spot as she fought the course’s hustle.
Pranavi admitted a “bit of struggle” with her swing, but said she enjoyed the calm she found on the green and plans to go all-in tomorrow. Hewson praised the unique demands of the DLF layout, saying the fairways and greens let a patient player accumulate birdies.
For the fans, the 18th was a show‑stopper. Bakshi tightened her final chip into a three‑foot line and parred it, swaying the crowd’s roar from start to finish. The audience could feel the high stakes of a last‑two‑hole playoff, and the torch of India’s golfing future glowed brighter than daylight.
Looking ahead, the players have a final day left to turn the game of shots into a shot of victory. The tale of Hitaashee’s lead, Pranavi’s resilience, and the home‑grown strength of Indian golfers continues to unfold in Gurugram’s golf links, setting the stage for more drama as the tournament approaches its climax.
Source: aninews
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