Women's Pro Golf Tour: Jasmine takes 3-shot lead in Leg 13 of Hero WPGT

Jasmine Shekar tamed the Golden Greens Golf Club course with one of her best rounds in her short pro career as she took a three-shot lead after the first round of Leg 13 of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour here.

The 19-year-old Jasmine, who turned pro last year, fired seven birdies against one bogey for a round of 6-under 66 and was three shots clear of the experienced Ridhima Dilawari (69), a multiple winner on the Tour.

Three established players -- Hitaashee Bakshi, the current Hero Order of Merit leader, Vidhatri Urs, winner of three of the last four events, and Gaurika Bishnoi, already a winner this year -- shot 1-under 71 each and were tied third.

Jasmine, whose best has been a runner-up finish in Kolkata in the third leg of the Tour last year at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club and again at Tollygunge this year, was playing alongside Astha Madan and amateur Nandita Kumar in the third group from the first tee.

Jasmine birdied three in a row from third to the fifth and added a fourth birdie on the ninth to turn in 4-under. On the back nine she birdied the 12th, 14th and the 16th and dropped one shot on the Par-4 15th.

Ridhima had four birdies against one bogey. Her birdies came on the first, fifth, 11th and the 12th and the dropped shot was on the par-4 10th.

Gaurika had four birdies against three bogeys while Hitaashee, who has been in good form this season, also had four birdies against three bogeys.

Vidhatri, whose seven starts as a pro on the Hero WPG Tour includes three wins and four third-place finishes, had three birdies and two bogeys.

Five players hold the tied-sixth place on a tight leaderboard. The five included experienced Amandeep Drall, the 2022 runner-up at the Hero Women's Indian Open, Sneha Singh, winner of Order of Merit in 2023, Gauri Karhade, amateur Anvvi Dahhiya and Khushi Khanijau. They all carded 1-over 73 each.

Among other well-known names, Seher Atwal shot 75 and was T-13, Shweta Mansingh (77) was T-20 and Neha Tripathi (78) was T-28.

A total of 41 players are playing in the Rs 14-lakh event, which is the last one before the flagship Hero Women's Indian Open next month.