Simi takes lead in first round at Women''s Pro golf

Kolkata, Feb 2 (PTI) Smriti Mehra, India''s best-knownwomen''s professional golfer, shot a par round of 70 to take athree-shot lead after the first round of the ninth leg of HeroHonda Women''s Professional Golf Tour.

Smriti celebrated her hometown''s first women professionalgolf tournament with three birdies and three bogeys.

She leads Tanya Wadhwa and Neha Tripathi by three shotsat the Tollygunge Club, which is hosting the event.

She holed a 25-foot putt on the par 4 16th hole whilecoming in and described the playing conditions as perfect.

"The greens were rolling well and my three birdies werewell deserved putts," Simi said after day''s play.

Following close at Simi''s heels, two younger playersTanya Wadhwa, a rookie, and local player Neha Tripathi, bothreturned in identical scores of 73.

Tanya was the ''birdie queen'' for the day with fivebirdies in her round. A disastrous 8 on the par 5, 13th holedid not deter the young pro who made up her score by having 3of her 5 birdies in the last four holes a great fight back.

Tanya is the youngest player on the tour at age 18 andhas qualified for the Futures tour in the USA on a conditionalcard. The Futures tour is the feeder tour run by the USLPGA.

Hero Honda Women�s Professional Golf Tour leader SharmilaNicollet disappointed the local spectators after turning in ascore of 76, six over par.

She made just one birdie on the par 3, 8th hole.

"It is a tight course and not easy to score on," sheexpressed.