Hyderabad, Sep 7 (IANS): Pranavi Urs could afford the luxury of four bogeys as she carded a second straight 2-under 68 to break away from the field in the second round of the 12th Leg of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour at the Hyderabad Golf Association course.
Pranavi is now 4-under 136 and in the familiar pole position. She is now four strokes ahead of amateur Kriti Chowhan (70) who was a co-leader in the first round. Kriti is even par 140.
The other first round co-leader, amateur Vidhatri Urs, a cousin of Pranavi, shot 73 and slipped to third place at 1-over 141.
Local star Sneha Singh, searching for her maiden win as a pro, shot 69, one of the only two under par scores of the day. It helped Sneha move to fourth place at 2-over 142.
Seher Atwal (73) was fifth, while another amateur Heena Kang (73) was sixth. Gauri Karhade (74) followed them in seventh place as four players, Nayanika Sanga (73), Khushi Khanijau (73), Hitaashee Bakshi (74) and amateur Keerthana R Nair (76) are tied eighth at 6-over 146.
Pranavi was off to a fast start with three birdies in the first five holes before she dropped a shot on seventh. A birdie on eighth followed by a bogey on ninth saw her turn in 2-under 34.
On the back nine she had a birdie on 10th and then back-to-back bogeys on 13th and 14th before closing with a birdie on 18th for 68.
Kriti had three bogeys and one birdie in her 72 and Vidhatri had a double bogey, two bogeys and one birdie in her 73.
Sneha had three birdies against two bogeys for her 69.
Pranavi, who has progressed past the first stage of Qualifying School on the LPGA, has already won four times and is looking at a fifth title this season. She is also way ahead of all others on the Hero Order of Merit ranking.