Coorg, Sep 17 (IANS): Delhi youngster Vani Kapoor emerged as the leader with a score of 5 over 75 on the first day of the 11th leg of the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour.

Trailing Vani by just one shot is Smriti Mehra. The Kolkata girl looked set to share the lead but a mistake on the last hole saw her slip to second position at the Coorg Golf Links here Wednesday.

Vani, who currently leads the Order of Merit, had an indifferent front nine where she carded as many as five bogies. This included four consecutive bogies on the first, second, third and fourth holes and another bogey on the ninth.

However, her back nine was much more controlled as she carded just one bogie on the 10th with a lone birdie on the 14th.

Smriti, who came here after a convincing victory at Clover Greens in Hosur, couldn’t keep the momentum going. She played a birdie-less round and carded as many as four bogies on the first, second, ninth and 18th holes. She also carded a double bogie on the fourth and finished with a score of 6 over 76 after 18 holes.

Kapurtahala's Gursimar Badwal is third with a score of 7 over 77. She carded three bogies on the first, eighth and 13th along with two double bogies on the third and 18th. Her lone birdie came on the 11th.

Neha Tripathi, currently placed second in the Merit list with total earnings of Rs.6.66 lakh, had a good start and carded just two bogies on the sixth and eighth. However, she couldn’t capitalise on her start as she carded four bogies on the 11th, 14th, 16th and 18th along with a double bogie on the 10th. She finished with 8 over 78.

Nikki Ponappa, playing on her home course, ended the day at sixth with 10 over 80. She carded five bogies on the first, third, fifth, 14th and 16th along with three double bogies on the 10th, 11th and 17th. She also carded birdies on the fourth and 12th and was the only player to card two birdies on the day.

Jaipur’s Pallavi Jain, Delhi’s Ankita Tiwana and Chandigarh's Saaniya Sharma are sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.