Bengaluru, June 19 (IANS): Anvitha Narender shot the best round of her young professional career to take a 2-shot lead after 36 holes in the 8th Leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Bangalore Golf Club. Playing only her fourth round as a pro, Anvitha (69-65), a New Jersey-born Bengaluru-based golfer, shot 5-under 65 and moved two clear of the Gurgaon-based amateur Lavanya Jadon (69-67).
After two rounds Anvitha is 6-under and Lavanya is 4-under; the two are the only players with both rounds under par.
Anvitha, who finished T-8 in her pro debut last week, ran up three birdies in a row from the second and got off to a great start. She dropped shots on the fifth and the ninth at the Bangalore Golf Club to turn in 1-under. On the back nine, she had gains on the 10th and 12th followed by back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th for a fine round of 65.
Lavanya, who has represented India as an amateur, opened with a birdie on the first but she gave that away on the eighth. Another birdie on the ninth meant she turned in 1-under. On the back nine, she birdied the 12th and the 16th for a round of 67.
Seher Atwal carded a steady 69 with three birdies and two bogeys to be sole third at 1-under 139, while another amateur Saanvi Somu carded even par 70 to be fourth at 1-over 141.
The 2023 Hero Order of Merit winner, Sneha Singh (73), one of the four overnight leaders, and Vidhatri Urs (70) were tied for fifth at 2-over 142. Snigdha Goswami 71-72) was seventh.
One of the four co-leaders from the first round, Rhea Jha slipped to eighth with 75 in the second round. Amateur Keerthana Rajeev (74-72) was tied for ninth with Gaurabi Bhowmick (71-75).
The current Order of Merit leader, Hitaashee Bakshi improved to 71 in the second round and is now T-11, as is the seventh leg winner, Gaurika Bishnoi (73-74). Amandeep Drall continued to struggle as she shot 74-75 and was T-19.
The cut fell at 150 and 25 players will play in the final round. Among the well-known players to miss the cut was Jasmine Shekar (77-74), who was fifth last week.