Pallavi Jain win 13th leg of Hero WGAI Tour

Mumbai, March 16: Pallavi Jaini won her first title of the season when she annexed the  13^th leg of the Hero WGAI Professional Golf Tour despite a lot of tense moments in the closing stages of the tournament.

Pallavi was five strokes ahead of Nalini Singh Siwach with three holes to go.But she double bogeyed 16^th and 17^th even as Nalini birdied the 16^th but her bogey on the 17^th proved costly as she  finished one stroke behind.

Pallavi carded 69 in the final round, while Nalini, who started the day five behind, fell short despite a 65. Pallavi totaled three-over 198 on the par-65 Willingdon Golf Club Course, while Nalini aggregated 199.

Smriti Mehra seemed to have reserved her best for the final day as she scored 64, but her rounds of 71 and 70 on first two days meant she finished at 205 alongside Saaniya Sharma (66) and both ended in a  tie for third.

Pallavi, five ahead after two rounds, opened with a bogey on first but got back that shot on the third. Nerves seemed to affect her as she double bogeyed the par-3 sixth and bogeyed the par-5 seventh. Despite a birdie on ninth she finished the front nine in two-over 36.

When Pallavi birdied the 11^th and 15^th she seemed to have overcome jitters, only to double bogeys 16^th and 17^th. But she got away with that. Nalini who had one birdie and one bogey in first 13 holes, bogeyed the 14^th and then bounced back with birdies on 15^th and 16^th. But the bogey on 17^th proved costly as both Pallavi and Nalini parred the 18^th.

Smriti had four birdies against three bogeys in her 64, while Saaniya in tied third carded 68.

Neha Tripathi (71) was fifth and Ankita Tiwana (73) was sixth.

There are two more events held after the 13^th leg. The current leader on Money list is Smriti Mehra, followed by Nalini Singh Siwach.