Gaurika Bishnoi in Top-5 after first round in Spain; Tvesa, Diksha 28th

Barcelona, October 2

Gaurika Bishnoi carded a solid two-under 70 to be placed inside Top-5 after the first round of the Estrella Damm Ladies Open here.

The Indian was just two shots behind the leader Nobuhle Dlamini of Swaziland (68) and one behind Belgium’s Manon De Roey and Magdalena Simmermacher from Argentina, who are tied for third on three-under 69.

Going out in the first group, Gaurika, who spent much of 2020 away from golf because of the pandemic, had a steady day, with four birdies and two bogeys.

Among other Indians, Tvesa Malik and Diksha Dagar shot even par 72 each to be Tied-28th.

Vani Kapoor (74) was T-57th, while Amandeep Drall (76) was T-79 and Ridhima Dilawari (79) was T-110 when play ended.

While Vani will need a steady second round to make the cut, Amandeep and Ridhima will need very low second rounds.

Gaurika, who is playing this week on an invite, birdied third and ninth to turn in two-under, but dropped shots on 10th and 11th meant she was back to even.

The Gurgaon golfer, however, fought back and birdied par-4 13th and Par-5 16th to total 70.

Tvesa began with a birdie but three bogeys in next five holes set her back a lot. She rallied with birdies on ninth and 12th and parred the rest to ensure an even par round.

Diksha opened with two bogeys and also closed with a bogey. In between she had five birdies and two more bogeys for 72.

Dlamini, 29, set the early pace with three birdies in a row on the newly redesigned second, third and fourth holes.

She sank a three-foot putt on the uphill eighth hole for another birdie and made the turn in four-under-par 33. As the wind picked up, she made another two birdies, along with two bogeys on the back nine, coming home in level par 35.

MacDonald, 30, from Inverness, started later in the afternoon and mixed five birdies with a bogey.

Belgium’s Manon De Roey and Magdalena Simmermacher from Argentina are tied for third on three-under-par 69.

Eight further players sit on two-under-par, including Gaurika Bishnoi. PTI