Gurugram, Nov 8 (PTI) Promising teenage golfer Pranavi Urs opened her campaign to earn a Ladies European Tour (LET) card with a bogey-free four-under 68 that gave her a two-shot lead after the first round of the three-round Pre-Qualifier – Asia.

Tvesa Malik, who is looking to regain her status on the LET, and Durga Nittur, who is trying to get on Tour for the first time, carded matching rounds of two-under 70 each. Only one other player, Neha Tripathi (71) was under par.

Nittur had a great finish with four birdies in the last five holes, with the gains coming on the 14th and 15th and again on 17th and the 18th.

Tournament favourite amateur Avani Prashanth was one of the five players to shoot even par 72. The others were Ananya Datar, Ridhima Dilawari, who opened the day’s proceedings and played alone with a marker, Seher Atwal and Singapore’s Sock Hwee Koh, who had also played at the Hero Women’s Indian Open.

A total of 29 players are in the fray in the 54-hole affair, from which the top-8 and ties will progress to LET Q-School Final Stage.

Urs, who dominated the domestic Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in 2022, divided her time in 2023 between the Epson Tour in the US and LET in Europe. Now she is looking at getting into the LET.

Nittur was two-over after seven holes but fought very well on the back nine. She birdied the 10th but again dropped a shot on 13th to go two-over again. Then she birdied four times in the last four holes for a fine two-under round.

Prashanth was disappointed with her start. The 16-year-old was not happy with her play on the greens. She had four birdies against four bogeys, with two each of birdies and bogeys on either side of the course.

While this is the first pre-qualifier, a second one is scheduled to be held at the Golf Club Rotana and Samanah Golf by Nicklaus and Noria Golf Club from December 10-12.

The gruelling five-round 90-hole Qualifying School Final Stage will be held at the Al Maadan Golf Marrakech & Royal Club de Marrakech from December 16-20.

Source: PTI News