The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Shalini, Shruti share lead

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 03, 2004

Sport

Sport - Golf

Shalini, Shruti share lead

By Our Principal Correspondent

KODAIKANAL, SEPT. 2. Shalini Malik and Shruti Khanna shared the lead with 231 gross each after three rounds in the four-day Madras ladies open golf championship at the Kodaikanal links here on Thursday.

Overnight leader 13-year-old Vaishavi Sinha was one stroke behind. And with the talented Chandigarh lass Irina Brar just two strokes behind the leaders, the concluding day promises a tight finish.

"I was nervous. It was the first time I was leading the field two days on the trot in a senior categorised event," said Vaishavi, a three-handicapper and a ninth standard student at DPS in Noida.

"I went five over by the fifth hole, but recovered well in the remaining till the double- bogey in the 17th saw me finish the day seven-over par," she added.

Shalini and Irina returned the day's best cards, an identical one-over par. "I hit the ball well and was happy with the way I putted," said Shalini, a five-handicapper, who works with GAIL in Delhi. "I would have finished a lot better had I not three-putted the fifth and bogeyed the sixth and 12th holes," said the 29-year-old who was fifth in the year-end rankings last season.

Irina, a scratch-handicapper, is returning to the circuit after a two-year injury lay-off. "A one-over feels like a dream after having carded a 12-over on the first day," said the 20-year-old Sports Officer with IOC.

Shruti, the joint-leader, carded a five-over. "The birdie putts didn't fall. I thought I played solid, but things just didn't come together," said the top-ranked player. "I'll give it my best show tomorrow. It'll certainly be interesting," Shruti said.

Anju Chopra of Kolkata won the Bronze division open event with a gross score of 318 and the handicap title with a net 231. Chennai's Mala Raju emerged runner-up in the handicap category with 235 nett.

Lalitha Balasubramaniam of Chennai won the seniors' open with a score of 243 gross and the handicap event in the same class with 222 nett.

Leaders after round 3:

Gold division - Open: Shalini Malik and Shruti Khanna 231 gross, Vaishavi Sinha 232. Handicap: Shalini Malik 216 nett, Shraddanjali Singh 220.

Silver division - Open: Laverri Kumar 261 gross, Indu Srivatsava 271. Handicap: Laverri 198 nett, Indu Srivatsava 223.

Junior - Open: Vaishavi 232 gross, Shraddanjali 244. Handicap: Laverri 198 nett, Vaishavi 223. Stableford: 1. Shalini Malik 40 points, 2. Laverri Kumar 44 points.

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