Hosur (TN), Jul 18 (IANS): Vidhatri Urs, who finished in the Top-3 in her first two starts as a professional on the Women’s Pro Golf Tour, led the field by one shot after the first round in the ninth leg of the Tour at the par-71 Clover Greens course here on Wednesday. Playing in her only third event as a professional, though she has won on the Hero WPGT earlier as an amateur, Vidhatri carded a fine 3-under 68.

Vidhatri, who had five birdies against two bogeys, leads by one shot over a trio of players, Sneha Singh, the 2023 Order of Merit winner, promising amateur Saanvi Somu, and another emerging young star, Karishma Govind. They all shot 2-under 69 each.

Vidhatri, who has been knocking on the door of a win as a professional, birdied the third but dropped shots on the next two holes and turned in 1-over. On the back nine, Vidhatri birdied the 10th, 12th, 15th, and 17th and had no bogeys as she carded 3-under 68.

Sneha had an eagle on Par-3 ninth and three other birdies against one bogey and one double bogey. Saanvi Somu had a steady 69 with three birdies against one bogey. Mannat Brar was 4-under through 15 holes, but a bogey on the 16th and a double on the 17th pulled her back.

Shweta Mansingh had a good start with three birdies in the first five holes, but she also dropped shots on the second and the fifth. Then bogeys on Par-5 ninth and 10th took her over par, but a late birdie on the Par-4 15th hole brought her back in red figures at 1-under 70.

Agrima Manral had 10 pars in a row before two birdies on the 11th and 13th and then had bogeys on the 16th and the 18th.

Emphasising the depth in Indian women’s golf, another amateur Mannat Brar was tied with the seasoned Gaurika Bishnoi in fifth place at 1-under 70, as six players shot under par on the first day at the Par-71 Clover Greens at Hosur. Anvitha Narender, winner of the eighth leg, Shweta Mansingh, and Agrima Manral were tied for seventh at even par rounds of 71.

Five others, Hitaashee Bakshi, Amandeep Drall, Rhea Purvi Saravanan, Jahaanvie Walia, and amateur Anuradha Chaudhuri were tied for 10th with scores of 1-over 72 each. The entire field finished in single-digit scores.