Hitaashee takes third title of season, wins 14th leg of WPGT

Hitaashee Bakshi did not face any problems on her way to picking her third title of the season as she won the 14th Leg of the Women's Pro Golf Tour by four shots. The 20-year-old Hitaashee joined Vidhatri Urs as the only other player to win three titles this year. Hitaashee who had cards of 67-70-71 totalled eight-under 208 at the Vooty Golf Club.

Hitaashee took home a winner's cheque of Rs.1,44,000 which she received from Rupinder Gill, General Manager, Vooty Golf County, a release said. Vidhatri, who won three times, finished second this week with a final-round card of 3-under 69 and a total of 4-under 212.

Shweta Mansingh (72), after 72-75 on the first two days, finished at 3-over 219 to be the sole third. Amandeep Drall (72) was tied fourth with Ananya Garg (73). Hitaashee, who held a six-shot lead after 36 holes, had a superb start with birdies on the first and third but after that she cooled off. Yet she ensured there were not many mistakes as she bogeyed the sixth but made up with a birdie on the ninth to turn in 2-under 34. On the back nine, she parred eight times and closed with a bogey for a 71, her third straight under-par round, the release said.

Vidhatri, who birdied the first, fifth, eighth and 15th dropped just one bogey on the third on a solid final day. Shweta Mansingh had four birdies against four bogeys in a par round of 72, while Amandeep Drall also had four birdies and four bogeys.

Khushi Khanijau (73) and Sneha Singh (75) were tied sixth at 6-over 222, while Rhea Purvi Saravanan (72) and Nayanika Sanga (80) ended tied eighth. Jasmine Shekar (71), Anvitha Narender (72) and Yaalisai Verma (75) were tied tenth.

There were two eagles on the final day, as Khushi Khanijau holed out her second shot on the Par-4 10th and Jasmine opened the day with an eagle on Par-5 first. Hitaashee (Rs.15,79,500) with a lead of over Rs three lakhs has sewn up the Order of Merit ahead of Sneha Singh (Rs 12,70,783) as Amandeep Drall and Khushi Khanijau are lying third and fourth. Jasmine Shekar is fifth. The 15th and final leg of the WPG Tour is scheduled next week at Boulder Hills in Hyderabad. (ANI)