Smriti Mehra leads in Hero Women's Golf

Panchkula, March 19 (IANS) Smriti Mehra got off to a great start in the sixth leg of the Hero Women’s Golf Tour at the Panchkula Golf Club here Tuesday, taking a six-shot lead over Ankita Tiwana, Gursimran Badwal and Vani Kapoor after the first round.

The veteran golfer, who has already won two titles this season and leads the Order of Merit 2013, scored a par 72 in the first round to open up a comfortable lead over Ankita, Gursimran (A) and Vani, who are tied at second place with first round score of six over 78.
Smriti had two double bogeys in the first four holes but steadied herself from there on to sink five birdies on the fifth, sixth, 11th, 12th and 15th. Her double bogeys came on the first and fourth holes and the solitary bogey on the 17th.
Ankita carded three birdies on the fifth, 12th and 14th whereas  ani had four birdies on the 10th, 11th, 13th and 16th. Amateur golfer Gursimran, who is tied second with Ankita and Vani after the first round, carded three birdies on the fifth, eight and 16th holes. All three will have their task cut out tomorrow if they want to close the gap with Smriti.
Fifth leg winner Neha Tripathi had a disappointing day on the greens and is lying tied eighth with Pallavi Jain with a round one score of 82.
--Indo-Asian News Service