Aamby Valley (Maharashtra), Mar 2 (IANS): Hitaashee Bakshi continued from where she let off in the third leg with a superb first round in the fourth leg of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour at the Aamby Valley Green Golf Course.

Hitaashee had a brilliant front nine with five birdies against no bogeys followed by a no-frills back nine with nine straight pars.

HItaashee birdied first, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth.

Hitaashee led by one shot over Pranavi Urs, winner of the opening leg this season. Pranavi also had five birdies, but she also dropped a bogey on the Par-4 fourth, after which she birdied four times in the next five holes to turn in 3-under.

On the back nine she had another birdie on the Par-5 14th hole.

Hitaashee and Pranavi were way ahead of the rest of the field as third placed Ridhima Dilawari was one-over 73 with one birdie against two bogeys, while Vani Kapoor, fresh from three good starts in South Africa, carded 2-over 74, as did Gaurika Bishnoi.

Amandeep Drall had a very eventful round with four birdies against seven bogeys in her 75 and she was Tied-sixth with Rhea Purvi Saravanan.

Four players Seher Atwal, Khushi Khanijau, Durga Nittur and amateur Jasmine Shekhar were Tied-eighth at 76.

Hitaashee's sister, Jahanvi, who was the top professional in the second leg, struggled as she shot 5-over 77.