Avani Prashanth well-placed at LPGA pre-qualifiers

Indian golfer Avani Prashanth shot a fine three-under 69 to be placed Tied-24th after the first round at the LPGA Q-Series Pre-Qualifying Stage tournament here.

One of the three Indian girls in the fray, Avani then added 1-under 71 in the second round at the Mission Hills – Arnold Palmer Course.

She is currently Tied-24th as the Top-125 and ties make the cut after 54 holes for the fourth and final round.

The top-80 from there will progress to the LPGA Q School. The projected cut for top-125 is 1-over.

Currently, the only Indian on the LPGA is Aditi Ashok. Others like Diksha Dagar may try to qualify through the Qualifying Tournament in October and then the Final Qualifying in December.

In the opening round, starting from the 10th, Avani had two birdies and two bogeys. But on the second nine, the front side of the Dinah Shore course, she had three birdies in a row from first to third.

Then, in the second round at the Arnold Palmer course, she had five birdies against four bogeys for a 71. Avani plays her third round at the Indian Wells Classic.

Of the other two Indians in the field, Sneha Singh (74-72) is 2-over and T-135, Nikita Arjun (75-72) is 3-over and T-157 and Drishti Karumbaya (76-77) is 9-over and T-258.

Sneha is one shot outside the projected cut line, and Nikita is two shots out.

A total of 327 players started the pre-qualifying stage played over three courses.

The leader is US golfer Aneka Seumanutafa (69-65) at 10-under, and she is followed by China's Sophie Guo (69-66) and another American Ashley Menne (69-66) at 9-under, both at T-2.