Sharmila in sight of Western India Ladies Open golf title

Mumbai, Dec 13 (UNI) A talented young golfer, Neha Tripathi, the 15-year-old from Kolkatta, returned the day's best card of 77 to shift the limelight away from two-day leader Sharmila Nicolllet of Bangalore on the penultimate day of the WIGA sponsored 58th Ladies Western India Open Amateur Golf Championships at the Bombay Presidency Golf Course, here today.

The talented Neha a -7 handicapper returned a card of eight over 77, one better than her senior compatriot Sharmila Nicollet (78), but still trails the leader by 12 strokes going into the last day.

Neha had a particularly bright start to the day, going out in 38.

After playing the first four holes on par, she played a triple bogie on the 5 th hole. She also had a good back nine, finishing four over 39, a bogey on the 12th hole, and a triple bogey on the 13th marring her progress.

Sharmila, on top of the leader board from day one, did not come up with anything spectacular, but her consistent showing was enough to keep her nose ahead of the rest of the pack going into the last day. She went out on the first nine holes in 40 and returned in 38.

US based golfer, Shraddhanjali Singh, finished 11 over 81 to occupy second place overall with 231, while Neha leapfrogged into third place and is three stroked adrift with 234.

After the third day's play, leading with nine strokes, Sharmila was confident of winning won her first title in Mumbai on the final day. ''I don't have any pressure for tomorrow and will play my aggressive game,'' she said.

US based golfer Shraddhanjali, who is nine strokes behind Sharmila, is not ready to give up the fight yet. ''One can't say what will happen on the last day, but I will not give her the title easily. I will try and make her earn her the title,'' she said. Following are the results (after 72 holes): Gold Division: Sharmila Nicolllet (0) (Bangalore) 222 (70,74,78); Shraddhanjali Singh (-1) (US) 231 (73,77,81); Neha Tripathi (-7) (Kolkatta) 234 (78,79,77); Sonam Chugh (-7) (Delhi) 239 (81,79,79); Gurbani Singh (-7) (Delhi) 242 (80,83,79); Shweta Galande (-4) (Del) 242 (83,79,80); Nalini Singh (-9) (Delhi) 243 (77,81,85); Sonavi Chopra (Chandigarth) 244 (84,78,82); Gauri Monga (-5) (Delhi) 247 (81,81,85); Mehar Atwal (Delhi) 242 (88,76,78).

Silver Division: Bunty Khanna (Mumbai) 268 (88,89,91); Pratiksha Ravi 270 (89,90,91); Radha Mathai (Mumbai) 274 (186,88); Gursimer Badwal 276 (187, 89); Raksha Phadke 276 (185, 91).

UNI