Bangalore, Aug 6 (IANS) A birdie each at the start and the finish and two in between saw 19-year-old local talent, Sharmila Nicollet finish a whopping 14-shots in front of the field at the end of the first event of the 2010-11 Hero Honda Women’s Professional Golf Tour of India.
Sharmila, two-time winner last season, thus won the first event of the season and set herself up to retain the Order of Merit she won in the previous season. She opened with a birdie and then added one more on the front nine on the fourth and a third one on the 16th and closed with a fourth birdie on 18th. In between, she dropped bogeys on eighth and 13th and a double on 10th.
Nalini Singh Siwach, who had an eagle on second hole pipped Pallavi Jain by one shot to take the second place. Nalini despite a disappointing 77 managed to stay ahead by one of Pallavi (77).
A confident Sharmila said: ‘My objective was to play two-under for the day and I achieved that. But I was not really satisfied. I shall do better in the next one.’
Both Nalini and Pallavi, second and third, also felt they could have done better. ‘I was hitting the greens in regulation, but my putting let me down,’ said second placed Nalini Siwach.
‘I could have done better but for some up and down shots in crucial holes. I will try harder next time,’ said Pallavi.
Nikita Arjun with the day’s second best round after Sharmila’s 72, was the top amateur at 19-over 235. Anisha Padukone was second and Kasvi Malik third.
This was the first leg of the 10-leg Tour that entered its fifth year.
