Kapoor 2nd, Dagar Tied-3rd; Avani Makes Her Mark
GURUGRAM: If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. Vani Kapoor was talking about the insecurity of losing her Ladies European Tour card. A good show here will boost her survival chances but she was not thinking about that unkind cut. "I've come to terms with it. Irrespective of what happens, I'm still going to be playing golf, I love the sport," she said. She was loving it on Friday, as she parked on top of the Hero Women's Indian Open leaderboard till the late arrival of Germany's Aline Krauter. A grinding 2-under 70 for a tot al of 6-under after an up-and-down round, patterned like the undulating greens of DLF G&CC, will do just fine.
The 29-year-old laboured through the task, "missing things in the wrong places", but nonchalantly marched ahead to second spot on the grass she called home. "I probably spend more time here than my place nearby," she said. Her family and friends may complain about that on normal days, but nothing is routine about the one they love being just one shot behind the leader in a $400,000 event, going into the weekend.
The birdie-bogey trend was broken by a sequence of three birdies in 5 holes on the back-nine, including the par-3 17th where she holed from 25 ft. Come the 18th, a steady flow of crowd settled on the greenside to watch Vani almost manoeuvring a par save after a brush with the bushes. The bogey lip-out was just a blot on the bigger picture.
Diksha Dagar switched positions with Vani, settling for a share of third place with Swede Sara Kjellker, a stroke adrift. A bogey-bogey start was not ideal and Europe's No. 4 found herself moving forward and backward but finished the last hole in top gear for a fighting even-par. "My putting let me down," the 22-year-old left-hander said, pointing out she felt like she had completed a Master's degree in the university of golf over the last five years. Another lesson learnt.
In the drudgery of a warm day, the truth was that Diksha did not lose much ground. Overnight leader Madelene Stavnar witnessed the ugly side of the course with a 2-over 74 for a tied-5th place.
Avani Prashanth, 17 going on 25, is often told how mature she is for her age. Tied-12th in this event last year, she won an LET Access Series event this August.
"Seven-over in 2022 over the first two rounds and 3 under this time. That's a 10-shot difference." A lot more had changed. Well within striking distance of the leaders in tied-7th position, the popular amateur declared she was "in it to win it".
If it's meant to be, it's meant to be.
Round 2 scores: 137 (7-under)Aline Krauter (Ger) 69-68; 138-Vani Kapoor (Ind) 68-70; 139-Diksha Dagar (Ind) 67-72, Sara Kjellker (Swe) 73-66; Selected scores: 140-Madelene Stavner (Nor) 66-74; 141-Avani Prashanth (Ind, A) 71-70, Gaurika Bishnoi (Ind) 72-69; 144-Vidhatri Urs (Ind, A) 70-74. (*A denotes amateur; Cut at 6-over)
