Gurugram, Mar 6 (IANS): Gaurika Bishnoi scorched the back nine with five birdies in the last eight holes to close in on the leader Amandeep Drall after the second round of the fifth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Golden Greens Golf Club.

Gaurika, who began the second day six shots behind, made up four of them, as she added 6-under 66 to her first 70 and reached 8-under 136. Amandeep Drall, who landed a third eagle in two days, shot 2-under 70 and was 10-under 134 and still two ahead. Amandeep set a new Ladies course record on the first day.

Khushi Khanijau (71) was lying third at 1-under 143. She shot 72 in the first round.

Hitaashee Bakshi (72-73), Seher Atwal (74-73) and Neha Tripathi (74-74) were placed in fourth to sixth places.

Amandeep began the day well with birdies on the first and the fifth to extend her lead as Gaurika bogeyed second and birdied the fifth.

Amandeep double bogeyed the sixth and bogeyed the seventh. She did birdie the ninth and eagled the Par-5 11th but then ran out of birdies, parring the last seven holes.

As Amandeep parred, Gaurika was on fire with birdies on fifth, eighth, 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th, and the 18th, as she played the back nine in 5-under 31 for a round of 66.

Khushi bogeyed first and third and then the 17th, but in between birdied four times between the fifth and 13th for a 71, which was one of the only three under par rounds of the day.

Amateur Lavanya Jadon (73-76) was the top amateur alongside Rhea Purvi S (76-63), Jahaanvie Walia (75-74), Ridhima Dilawari (74-75) and Shagun Narain (74-75) who were tied for seventh at 5-over 149.

Order of Merit leader Sneha Singh (75-76) was way behind in T-13.

The cut fell at 12-over 156 and 27 players made the grade for the final round.