Hitaashee, Pranavi make cut in La Sella Open

Alicante [Spain], September 21 (ANI): Indian golfers Hitaashee Bakshi and Pranavi Urs ensured weekend action at the La Sella Open in Spain as they became the only two Indians to make the cut, while teenager Anna Huang of Canada continued her fine run to grab the halfway lead.

Hitaashee added a steady 1-over 73 to her opening 72, finishing on a 36-hole total of one-over-par that placed her tied for 36th. Pranavi carded back-to-back rounds of 73 to lie tied for 47th. While they progressed, several other Indian hopefuls fell agonisingly short.

Ridhima Dilawari (75-72) missed the cut by just one stroke, while Avani Prashanth (78-70), Diksha Dagar (73-75), Vani Kapoor (78-71) and Tvesa Malik (71-78) also exited after 36 holes. The cut came at two-over, with 61 players advancing.

Pranavi's round featured three birdies against two bogeys and a costly double bogey. Hitaashee also mixed two birdies with a bogey and a double. Both players will now look to build momentum ahead of their home event, the prestigious Hero Women's Indian Open, scheduled in less than three weeks.

At the top, 16-year-old Huang remained flawless as she followed her bogey-free opening round with another sparkling 66 (-6). Starting from the 10th, she birdied the 12th and 13th before picking up another at the 18th to turn in three-under. Her hot putter stayed alive on the front nine with birdies on the fourth, seventh, and ninth, giving her a commanding three-shot lead at 14-under-par.

France's Nastasia Nadaud produced a 67 (-5) to move into second place at 11-under, while Singapore's Shannon Tan is outright third on seven-under after a solid 68. Spain's Nuria Iturrioz, the 2023 inaugural champion at La Sella, fired a 66 highlighted by five straight birdies to climb into a share of fourth with Australia's Kirsten Rudgeley, who went bogey-free for her 67. Both sit at six-under.

A pack of four players, including Italy's Alessandra Fanali and Slovenia's Pia Babnik, are tied sixth at five under, while another group featuring Ireland's Lauren Walsh sits a stroke further back. With two rounds to play, Huang holds a strong advantage, but the chasing pack promises a competitive weekend at the La Sella Golf Resort. (ANI)

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