Mysuru, Jun 13 (PTI) Anvitha Narender stayed composed under pressure at the finish, prevailing in a tense playoff to clinch her second title in the seventh leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour here on Saturday.
The young Bengaluru golfer showed great resilience to stage a back-nine recovery and then beat the seasoned Vani Kapoor in the second hole of the dramatic play-off.
Anvitha carded 1-under 69 as Vani charged up with a 6-under 64 and both and both were tied at one-under 209. Anvitha then birdied the second play-off hole to take the title.
Anvitha with a strong back nine found herself in the lead at the Par-5 18th tee in regulation play. A little earlier Vani had finished with a superb 6-under 64 round to set the target at an even par total of 209.
Anvitha needed just a par on the final hole but instead she dropped a shot and fell in a tie with Vani.
Riya Jaden, playing in the final group, had bogeyed the 17th and needed a birdie to get into a play-off. She parred and finished at even par.
In the first play-off hole on the Par-4 first, both Anvitha and Vani parred, leading to a second play-off hole, this time on the Par-4 fifth.
The momentum appeared to be with Vani after her stunning comeback, but Anvitha showed remarkable calm for a player still in the early stages of her professional career. After the first playoff hole failed to separate the two contenders, the battle moved to a second extra hole.
Anvitha, who had parred the fifth hole in regulation, picked a decisive birdie to deny Vani a remarkable comeback win. Vani, who had a birdie in regulation play managed only a par.
That gave the 20-year-old New Jersey-born Anvitha her second win on the Women’s Pro Golf Tour. Her previous success came in 2024.
Riya ended sole third at 1-over, while Khushi Khanijau turned in the second-best round of 68, to tie for fourth with Amandeep Drall (70) and Vidhatri Urs (70).
Earlier, starting the day in a three-way lead with Riya and amateur Ananyaa Sood, Anvitha was unable to find any birdies on the front nine and gave away a bogey.
In contrast rookie Riya with two birdies and one bogey was 1-under for the front nine and took the lead.
However, the star was Vani, who with five birdies and one bogey played the stretch in 4-under and caught up with Anvitha.
Riya, though she was in the lead at the turn, was unable to find momentum on the back nine and she bogeyed once without any birdies to finish at 1-over 211.
Anvitha birdied the 10th, 12th and 13th and roared into contention taking the lead. Vani, too, birdied the 11th and the 16th, but Anvitha was still one ahead.
However, Anvitha bogeyed the 18th and dropped into a tie and was forced into a play-off, which she eventually won. PTI COR APA APA
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