Kolkata, Dec 12 (IANS): Neha Tripathi carded two-under 70 to take a three-shot lead at the end of the first day of the 18th Leg of the Hero Womens Pro Golf Tour at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club here on Wednesday.

Neha, who skipped the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School to work on her game and go for the Chinese LPGA in January, had two birdies in the first four holes and two more in the last four for a 70 that was three shots better than the second placed Afshan Fatima (73).

Smriti Mehra, who was three-over in the first eight holes, scored 75, while Amandeep Drall, Khushi Khanijau and Siddhi Kapoor shot 77 each to be tied fourth.

Millie Saroha (79), Hita Prakash (80), Preetinder Kaur (81) and Gursimar Badwal occupied the seventh to 10th spots.

Neha birdied the second and fourth to get off to a flying start. She, however, gave away those gains with bogeys on the sixth and eighth holes. On the back nine, she birdied 12th, 15th and 18th but bogeyed the Par-4 14th to finish at 2-under.

Afshan had three birdies against four bogeys, while Smriti had just one birdie and four bogeys.

Neha has time and again looked solid in the first couple of rounds, only to lose her way on the final day.