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News18
a day ago
- Sport
- News18
Vani seeks more success in 10th leg as Jasmine eyes another win in Hero WPGT
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Kolar, Jul 22 (PTI) Vani Kapoor, a four-time champion on the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour this season, and last week's winner Jasmine Shekar have been drawn together for the first round of the 10th leg at the Zion Hills Golf County. They will have the talented Vidhatri Urs as the third player in the group. Thirty seven players, including seven amateurs, will tee off in the event that carries a prize purse of Rs 16 lakh. Other leading professional players in the field are Ridhima Dilawari, Seher Atwal, Sneha Singh, Amandeep Drall and Neha Tripathi, who was runner-up to Jasmine in the last leg. Last week's ninth leg was one of the rare occasions this season when Vani finished out of the top-3. In eight starts prior to this week, Vani has won four times, been runner-up twice and was tied third on another occasion. Last week Vani was tied fifth at Hosur, and will be looking to get back to winning ways and grab her fifth title of the season. The winners this season have been Vani Kapoor (4 times), Sneha Singh (2), while Rhea Purvi Saravanan, Amandeep Drall and Jasmine Shekar have won once each. The seven amateurs include Saanvi Somu, who has been in contention on several occasions but has not been able to convert these opportunities into a win. She will have another go this week. The other amateurs in the field are Keerthana Rajeev, Keya K Badugu, Tanisha Prithvi, Dia Cris Kumar, Anvvi Dahhiya and Ceerat Kang, whose sister Heena Kang is also in the field and will debut as a pro on her birthday. Vani leads the Order of Merit with Amandeep Drall, Sneha Singh and Jasmine Shekar trailing behind her in that order. PTI Cor AH AH view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 17:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
5 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Jasmine produces electric back nine to win 9th leg of Hero WPGT
Hosur (Tamil Nadu), Jul 18 (PTI) Jasmine Shekar carded a sublime final-round 4-under 68, marked by a flawless back nine, to clinch the ninth leg of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour here on Friday. Jasmine became the fifth different winner this season as she totalled 9-under with two superb rounds of 67-68 on the last two days. Neha Tripathi, who led by three shots going into the final round, seemed on course to win her first title in two years till she ran into a troubled stretch between the 12th and the 16th as she dropped four shots in five holes and lost by three to Jasmine, who played in the same final group. Neha was 6-under 210. The final nine made all the difference as Jasmine shot 3-under 31 on the back stretch, while Neha was 3-over 37. That six-hole difference saw Neha's 3-shot advantage turn into a 3-shot deficit in the final analysis. The crucial hole for Jasmine was the Par-4 12th. Coming to the 12th tee, Neha was still leading by three, but she bogeyed the hole and Jasmine birdied it. It was a two-shot swing, and the margin was suddenly just one in favour of Neha, who then went on to bogey three times in a row from the 14th. Jasmine meanwhile confidently birdied the closing 18th and emerged winner by three shots. As Jasmine and Neha took the first two places, Ridhima Dilawari shot the day's best card of 5-under 67 and jumped to third place at 4-under 212. Seher Atwal (69) was fourth at 3-under 213 and there were three players including Vani Kapoor, who won four of the first eight events, in tied fifth place. Vani carded 70 and was tied fifth alongside Amandeep Drall (69) and Kriti Chowhan (72) at 2-under 214. Sneha Singh produced a third straight round of even par 72 and was eighth, while Lavanya Jadon (70) was ninth. Jahaanvie Walia (70), who had one of the two eagles on the final day, was Tied-10th with the top amateur Saanvi Somu (76). Vani continues to lead the Hero Order of Merit, while Amandeep is second and Sneha is third. Jasmine moved to the fourth place, Neha was fifth and Ridhima Dilawari was sixth. PTI COR APA APA view comments First Published: July 18, 2025, 20:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hans India
7 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Golf: Amandeep takes 2-shot lead despite late bogeys in 9th leg of WPGT
Hosur (Tamil Nadu): Amandeep Drall, who is slowly working her way back to the kind of form that gave her a bunch of wins on the domestic Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour, opened with a fine 3-under 69 to take a two- shot lead in the first round of the ninth Leg of the Hero WPGT at the Clover Greens. Amandeep dropped two late bogeys on the 16th and the 17th holes but despite that she had a handy lead over seasoned Neha Tripathi and Seher Atwal, who carded 1-under 71 each. Five other players Vidhatri Urs, Anaggha Venkatesh; Jasmine Shekar, Sneha Singh and Jahaanvie Walia shot even par 72 each to be Tied-fourth. Amandeep Drall, who has had one win in eight starts this season, was a modest even par after seven holes with one birdie on the second, which was erased by a bogey on the sixth. She then had a great run from the eighth to the 12th with four birdies, including three in a row from the eighth to the 11th. Towards the end, she added a birdie on the 15th, at which point she was 5-under for the day. The two bogeys saw her slip to 3-under but keep the lead. Neha had a good run of four birdies in the middle of the round from the ninth to the 12th besides one other birdie and four bogeys. Seher Atwal had four birdies against three bogeys and three of her bogeys came between the ninth and the 12th holes. Amateur Saanvi Somu, a four-time runner-up, was the top amateur with a round of 73 that included one of the day's three eagles on the Par-5 second. She had an eagle, one birdie, two bogeys and a double bogey. Two other players, Karishma Govind and amateur Ayushi Dutta also recorded eagles on the same hole. Saanvi was Tied- ninth alongside Kriti Chowhan and Lavanya Jadon, who also shot 73 each. Four players, including the experienced Ridhima Dilawari, Gauri Karhade, Durga Nittur and Anvvi Dahhiya were Tied-12th with a score of 74 each. The Order of Merit leader and four-time winner this season, Vani Kapoor, struggled to 3-over 75 with three birdies against four bogeys and a double bogey. She was lying T-16 and eight shots behind her friend Amandeep.
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
How Vani Kapoor rediscovered her authentic golf self and reclaimed the joy of playing
Vani Kapoor's golf career started in Delhi with something as simple as wanting to spend more time with her father on Sunday afternoons. 'We didn't think it would become a profession or anything,' she said. What began as a fun activity has now led to her becoming the most successful player in Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour (HWPGT) history, with a record 35 titles. Runaway leader Vani is on a high, having won the eighth leg of the HWPGT at the Bengaluru Golf Club (BGC) last week. 'This is probably the best start I have had to the year in my entire career,' she said, in reference to claiming four of the eight legs. The 31-year-old is the runaway leader on the HWPGT Order of Merit, with total winnings of ₹11,88,000. The path to this latest title was not easy. She was trailing early in the third round, but key moments — a birdie on the ninth and a hot streak of birdies on holes 12 through 15 — put her back in the lead. 'I just kept rolling, and by the time I reached the final two holes, I knew I had a cushion. I just needed to finish the job.' Vani turned professional in 2012 at just 18 years old and quickly became a dominant force on the Indian domestic circuit. Her debut season brought three victories, a sign of things to come. Since then, she's steadily built a stellar record. ALSO READ | Rory McIlroy on his caddie, longtime friend: Masters win 'is just as much his as it is mine' In 2019, she became the first Indian woman to earn a card on the Australian Ladies PGA Tour. That milestone opened doors to the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the prestigious Vic Open. She continued to rise and, in 2022, posted a career-best tied-third finish at the Big Green Egg Open in the Netherlands, ending five under par overall. In the 2025 season of the HWPGT, Vani opened with runner-up finishes in the second and third legs, followed by a dominant three-win streak in the fourth, fifth, and sixth legs. Ahead of her latest win, there was pressure, no doubt. But Vani remained unfazed. 'Everyone here is a good golfer, and anyone can have a great day. Whatever my result, it's a by-product of my own effort, and that's the only thing I can possibly control,' said Vani. That kind of composure doesn't come out of nowhere. Vani identifies working with a sports psychologist, which she began doing seven years ago, as a turning point. 'A few things were bothering me, so I got that out of the way and got more clarity,' she said. Taking stock Vani called her performance in 2024 average — an honest self-assessment for someone used to being at the top. She plied her trade primarily on the LET, where she managed only one top-ten finish. Vani competed in three HWPGT events and won once. 'Something had to change. I took some time off and worked on myself from all angles,' she said. Vani attributes her 2024 season to internal pressure and expectations. 'I tried very hard to do things the right way while keeping certain people in mind. What really changed was that I gave myself an opportunity to just play for myself, without any expectations internally or from other people, and just go back to basics. It's nice that everything is coming together now. I have started enjoying the game so much more, which I feel is the most important thing,' she said. ALSO READ | After several blockbusters and a few flops, Bazball faces a moment of reckoning Vani sees her long and short games as strengths, but her putting is her biggest asset. While she might not be the longest driver on the tour, her consistency off the tee and sharp play inside 100 yards makes her a regular on the leaderboard. 'I'm not one of the longest hitters, but I'm very accurate. So, I don't really have to worry that much off the tee. I've worked more on my short game, 100 yards in, to compensate. Putting has always been a strong point that I've had,' she said. Off the course, Vani focuses equally on training both body and mind. Her approach blends mental clarity with a practice routine that's tailored to her needs. 'You have to love the way you practise. It has to be your way — not someone else's version of what's right,' she said. Her fitness regimen includes strength training to prevent injury and maintain swing-speed. This isn't just about being physically strong; it's about endurance. 'And then there's the gym, of course. You must work on strength. We swing at such fast speeds — you have to always be consistent and injury-free. We also need stability,' Vani said. Tournament days can stretch long, and one loose shot late in the round can cost a title. Vani explained that staying in good physical shape helps train her mind to stay focused on the course. Vani's mindset was tested when she returned to the BGC, a course that she hadn't played in for six or seven years. 'I didn't remember anything,' she said with a laugh. 'I was going on the wrong tee boxes and wrong greens during the practice round. I told my caddy, 'Just get me to the right tee and the right green — I'll handle the rest'.' Olympic ambition Now over a decade into her professional career, Vani is still charting new territory. Vani has her sights set on a good show at the Hero Women's Indian Open, which will be held at her home course of DLF Golf and Country Club later this year. Asked about her long-term goals, Vani stated that she would like to win a medal at the 2028 Olympics. She sees the sport's future in India with cautious optimism. 'Coaching has changed so much from when I started. The new lot — these teenagers — have so much more access to information and technology. I did not have this when I was young. So there's definitely going to be so many girls who are going to not just play, but do well abroad.' ALSO READ | Replace Trent, add new 'weapon' Wirtz, future-proof squad: Liverpool's summer tasks Despite everything the tour demands — travel, training, and competition — education was always non-negotiable in her family. 'My parents made it very clear — education came first. So I did my college, and after that I decided that I didn't want to study. But I did the basic minimum, which is very important. I didn't want to believe my parents at the time, but now I see how important it was. There's so much more to life besides what you do. How you develop as an individual is so much more important — friends, a social life, confidence. When golf isn't going well, you need people to lift you up and you need that circle.' She has also become more vocal about the need for structural support. 'The sport needs more visibility — especially women's golf. It's not just about us players. Our sponsors need visibility too.' As the season progresses, she continues to move with quiet confidence. Not one to be rushed, Vani believes the best way forward is one shot at a time.
Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
3 Indians make cut as Diksha is set for another fine finish in Dutch Ladies golf
Hilversum , Indian golfer Diksha Dagar is in position for another fine finish as she carded a fine 2-under 70 to be placed tied ninth at the Dutch Ladies Open here. Diksha produced a nice finish with three bridies and one bogey in the last six holes and was at 3-under at the end of 36 holes with one more day to go. As for the other Indians, Hitaashee Bakshi, No. 1 on Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour, playing her first LET event outside India, made a great start. She shot 71-73 and is even par for two days and tied-26th, while the third player making the cut was Avani Prashanth, who improved by seven shot in her second round. After 77 on the first day, she shot 70 on the second day and was T-51st. Tvesa Malik, missed the cut, while Pranavi Urs withdrew after first round with injury. Diksha had two bogeys and one birdie on the front nine, but rallied with four birdies against one bogey on the back nine as she continued her impressive run in the first half of the LET season. Hitaashee had two birdies against three bogeys, one of which came on the closing 18th. England's Mimi Rhodes, Spain's Nuria Iturrioz, and Italy's Alessia Nobilio will all head into the final round tied at the top of the leaderboard, after impressive performances to climb to six-under par at Goyer Golf & Country Club. For Rhodes and Nobilio both rookies on the Ladies European Tour it was another chance to showcase their talent amongst the packed field. The current Order of Merit leader, Rhodes secured six birdies on her scorecard, positioning herself for what could be a third title in her rookie season a remarkable achievement for the 23-year-old. Rhodes currently leads the Order of Merit on 1,046.88 points and admits this season has already exceeded expectations. Meanwhile, Nobilio carded a bogey-free round to climb into a share of the lead. Joining them at six-under-par is Iturrioz, who posted one of the day's most impressive rounds a six-under-par 66. The four-time LET winner, also starting on the 10th tee, closed with five birdies in her last seven holes. Spain's Luna Sobron Galmes made the biggest move of the day, with a course-record of 65 .
