Back nine blitz sees Vani win 9th leg of Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour

Hosur, Jul 10 (PTI) Vani Kapoor sizzled with five birdies in the last 10 holes to emerge as a comfortable winner in the ninth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Clover Greens here on Friday. She added a 5-under 67 after 70-68 in the first two rounds. Vani finished at 11-under and three shots ahead of young Anvvi Dahhiya (70-69-69) who was trying to win her first pro event. Amandeep Drall (68-68-72), leader through 36 holes, slipped on the final day mainly due to a bogey-double bogey lapse on the seventh and the eighth and later another double on the 14th. She did eagle the 10th but could not recover from the earlier damage. As Vani rallied from a two-shot deficit to reach 11-under, Anvvi and Amandeep were tied for second place at 8-under. The field this week included 58 players, of whom 35 made the 36-hole cut. Jasmine Shekar (72-67-70) and Nayanika Sanga (73-66-70) were tied for fourth place, while Ananya Garg (68), Jahnavi Prakhya (71) and Khushi Khanijau (70) occupied the sixth, seventh and eighth places respectively. Ridhima Dilawari, three-time winner this season, fought back from a first round 75 with 69-70 on last two days to tie for ninth place with another experienced player, Neha Tripathi (73) and young Lavanya Jadon (73). Mannat Brar (67) and Durga Nittur (76) were tied for 12th, while Kashika Misra (75) and Eti Chaudhary (78) were Tied-14th. It was Vani’s first win of 2026 after having won five times in 2025 when she also won the Hero order of Merit. Vani, trailing by two, opened with four steady pars and then birdied the fifth, only to give that shot back with her only bogey of the day on the sixth. Then came the turnaround. She birdied ninth and added four more on the back nine on the 11th and 12th and then the 16th and the 18th for a day’s work of 67 and a total of 11-under. Former Hero WPGT Order of Merit winner Hitaashee Bakshi, hoping to find her rhythm back, carded 72-73-73 and ended T-18th. The tenth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour will be held at Zion Hills Golf County, Kolar from July 14 to 17. The field will once again be of 58 players including nine amateurs. PTI ATK ATK