Kolkata, Feb 1 (IANS) Smriti Mehra, India’s leading women’s professional player, and 19-year-old Sharmila Nicollet, the current leader on the Hero Honda Women’s Professional Golf Tour, will be the star attractions in the ninth leg of the Tour at the Tollygunge Club beginning Wednesday.
A total of 16 women pros will be teeing off at the event, which carries a prize money of Rs.2.5 lakh, with the winner getting Rs. 68,000. The club will be hosting a women’s professional golf championship for the first time.
Tour leader Sharmila, who is India’s best potential for the Olympics 2020, will be in the contention for the title along with veteran professional and local lady Smriti. Close on their heels not to be underestimated are Nalini Singh Siwach, Sanniya Sharma.
Youngest professional tour player Tanya Wadhwa, 18, will be making her maiden appearance in the city. A former junior grand slam winner in under-12 section, Tanya is based in Texas, US, and turned professional just after the Hero Honda Women’s Indian Open.
The ninth leg has been slotted after a short winter break as a warm up prior to the Thailand Ladies Open being held in Bangkok from Feb 8.
The top four players of the Order of Merit of Hero Honda Women’s Professional Golf Tour have received exemption to play in the Ladies European Tour Access Series, which is running from March to September.
Women’s professional golf now offers a lucrative career for women golf players with 15 events scheduled for the season 2011-12.
