Vani Kapoor claims women's golf title

Vani Kapoor secured the fourth leg of the tournament in Kolkata

Kolkata, Feb 6 (IANS): Overnight leader Vani Kapoor recorded a six-stroke victory at the fourth leg of the Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour at the par-70 Tollygunge Club here Friday.

Vani's score of three-over took her total 214. This win also helped the Delhi golfer to comfortably consolidate her position atop the Hero Order of Merit with two wins from four appearances this season.

Bengaluru golfer Sharmila Nicollet got a total of 220 to finish second, while local golfer Neha Tripathi finished third with a total score of 221.

Vani had an indifferent start Friday, carding a bogey on the first hole. She holed two more bogeys on the seventh and eighth with a lone birdie on the ninth in her front nine. She, however, played a watchful back nine, carding just one bogey on the 14th.

Sharmila played a controlled round with two bogeys on the fifth and 10th and a double bogey on the 13th hole. Her lone birdie came on the third to help her finish ahead of Kolkata's Neha with a total score of 220.

Neha had an off day in the park, as she carded six bogeys on the first, eighth, ninth, 14th, 16th and 18th, with three birdies on the third, fifth and 15th.

She also carded a double bogey on the seventh hole to finish the day with a score of five-over 75.

Pune's Shweta Galande, Kapurthala's Gursimar Badwal and Indian origin golfer Kiran Matharu finished tied fourth with identical scores of 223.

Veteran golfer Smriti Mehra finished seventh followed by Delhi golfers Ankita Tiwana and Gauri Monga at the eighth and ninth places, respectively.

The fifth leg of the Tour will be played at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club Feb 18-20.