Shruti in sight of title; Shweta inches closer

Mumbai, Dec 14 (UNI) Sixteen-year-old Shweta Galande from Delhi returned the day's best card to whittle down Shruti Khanna's lead by one stroke on the penultimate day of the 57th Ladies Western India Open Amateur Golf Championships at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club Course, Chembur, here today.

The talented Shweta returned a card of eight over 78, one better than her senior compatriot Shruti Khanna (79), but still trails the zero handicapper by four strokes going into the last day.

Shweta did not have a particularly bright start to the day, going out in 41. Though she began with a birdie on the first hole, it was no indication of things to come as she bogeyed the third fourth and fifth holes. After playing the sixth on par, she went four over par on the seventh, her first shot hitting the side wall. She made amends though on the back nine, finishing just two over 35, with birdies on the 12th and 18th holes, bogeys on the 10th and 17th and double bogey on the 15th.

Shruti, 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 39.

Unless Shweta comes up with something spectacular on the final day, Shruti should sleep easy with the prospect of laying her hands on the trophy looming strong on the morrow.

Following are the results (after 72 holes): Shruti Khanna (0) (Delhi) 235 (79, 77, 79); Shweta Galande (-5) (Delhi) 239 (83,78, 78); Rani Maheswari (-12) (Mumbai) 245 (85,77,83); Shruti Naik (-8) (Delhi) 247(83,81,83); Sonia Malhotra (-10) (Mumbai) 249 (80,89,80); Sania Sharma (-4) (Chandigarh) 252 (85,84,83); Rajeswari Agarwal (-8) (Pune) 252(84,81,87); Mani Chander (-8) (Chandigarh) 253(82,87,84 ); Nalini Singh 256 (170, 86); Shreya Ghei (9) (Delhi)256 (87,82, 87).

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