Local teen Ananya shares lead with Malaysian Nur

Local teenager Ananya Barthakur surprised higher ranked players by taking a share of the lead with the highly experienced 21-year-old three-time Malaysian Ladies Amateur champion Nur Duriah Darmiyan at the end of the first round of the Strokeplay section of the Usha 100th All India Ladies Amateur Championships which got underway on Tuesday. 

After 36 holes, the top 16 amateurs will qualify for Matchplay section of the Usha All India Championships, which is celebrating its 100th staging this year.

The 15-year-old Ananya, a student of Modern School in South Delhi, shot one-over 73 on the strength of two birdies on the back nine, including the closing hole, the 18th at the Delhi Golf Club. Nur, looked set to take sole lead with the day’s only under-par score, before she dropped shots on the 15th and 17th holes to settle for one-over 73.

Ananya and Nur were one shot clear of Delhi’s Seher Atwal, who is now studying at Rollins College in the US. Seher, younger sister of pro Meher Atwal, and a niece of Indian professional golfer, Arjun Atwal, carded 74 and lying sole third.