Ladies Northern Indian Golf Championship from Nov 21

New Delhi, Nov 17 (UNI) All eyes will be on the Asian Games-bound quartet of Sharmila Nicollet, Vaishavi Sinha, Meghna Bal and Shruti Khanna when the 39th Ladies Northern Indian Golf Championship tees off here on November 21.

Though the absence of defending champion Irina Brar, Bhavna Shetty, Shradhanjali Sinha and Kanika Minocha takes some gloss off the event, veteran lalitha Balasubramaniam and Vandana Agarwal are expected to make a strong bid for the title.

Sharmila, with a handicap -1, is in good form and she won the Southern India Ladies Golf Championship earlier this year.

Fifteen-year-old Vaishavi (handicap-2) won the Madras Open early this season and was the 2006 All India runner-up.

Meghna (handicap-3), meanwhile, is back from US and in good nick.

while still challenge would come from Lavery Kumar as well after she won the Noida Open just a few days ago.

Asked about the reasons behind sending the youngsters to Asian Games, Siddarth Shriram of the Mawans Sugars, sponsor of the event said, ''This will be a baptism by fire and it would be good for them.'' UNI AY PM BD1458