The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Vaishavi in final

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 22, 2005

Sport

Sport - Golf

Vaishavi in final

KOLKATA, JAN. 21. Vaishavi Sinha of Noida defeated Sharmila Nicollet of Bangalore on the 21st hole in the gold division match-play semifinals of the all-India ladies amateur golf championship here at the Tollygunge Club course on Friday.

Sinha, moving into her first all-India final, will challenge the favourite and the top seed Irina Brar of Chandigarh in the gold division on Saturday.

Brar beat Neha Majithia of Delhi on the 17th hole in the other semifinal.

The best action was seen in the match between the two young aspirants as 14-year-old Vaishavi Sinha took on Sharmila Nicollet, who is younger to the former by an year. Nicollet led the contest initially and was one up on the front nine holes.

But the Noida girl worked on her experience and made a strong comeback in the second half with a birdie on the 11th and an eagle on the 12th holes to make it even by the 16th hole.

The two played brilliantly to take the tie beyond the usual round of 18 holes and were separated only on the 21st hole when Nicollet bogied. Sinha took the opportunity scoring a par and ensured the final berth.

As for Brar, there was not much competition from her Delhi opponent, Majithia, who did try hard but could not match the former's good form.

Brar was three up on the first nine holes but Majithia fought back in the second half to narrow the lead to just one by the 15th hole.

The contest did not go much further as Majithia again got into trouble in the 16th to have Brar ensuring the win by the 17th hole.

The sliver division final will be between two local opponents, Saroj Saran and Sonia Burman, while in the bronze division Rashmi Singh and Rita Dogra will vie for the title.

The results (semifinals):

Gold division (0-12 handicap): Irina Brar (Chd) bt Neha Majithia (Del) 2 & 1; Vaishavi Sinha (Noida) bt Sharmila Nicollet (Kar) 21st hole.

Silver division (13-24): Saroj Saran (Ben) bt Rita Punwani (Ben) 2 & 1; Sonia Burman (Ben) bt Tara Halwasiya (Ben) 3 & 2.

Bronze Division (25 onwards): Rashmi Singh (Ben) bt Megha Majithia (Del) 4 & 3; Rita Dogra (Ben) bt Shruti Goenka (Ben) 19th hole. — Our Sports Reporter

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport