Aditi extends stay on top

Gauri Monga shoots four-under, moves to third spot

 Aditi Ashok and Gurbani Singh turned up the heat in the second round of the Usha-IGU Karnataka Ladies and Junior Girls Golf Championship here on Thursday.

Aditi and Gurbani, who have fought many battles on the junior circuit, shot matching two-under 68s to set up another exciting contest at the Bangalore Golf Club.

Aditi continued to stay in pole position at 139 while Gurbani rose to second place, just a stroke off the local girl. Gauri Monga returned with the best card of the tournament so far, her brilliant four-under 66 helping her jump to third place at 143.

Having alternated from the ordinary to the brilliant on Wednesday, Aditi appeared far more comfortable at her home course on Thursday. She opened with a birdie on the par-5 first before picking up her second shot of the day on the 12th, completing a blemish-free round.

Gurbani too made a fine start, picking up birdies on the first and third holes. She then dropped shots on the fourth and eighth holes, sandwiched by a birdie on the sixth. A birdie on the 16th then helped her cap off a fine round.

Leading scores (after 36 holes): Ladies: 139: Aditi Ashok (71, 68); 140: Gurbani Singh (72, 68); 143: Gauri Monga (77, 66); 145: Astha Madan (74, 71); 147: Tvesa Malik (71, 76).

Category A: 139: Aditi Ashok (71, 68); 140: Gurbani Singh (72, 68); 145: Astha Madan (74, 71); 147: Tvesa Malik (71, 76); 149: Ridhima Dilawari (74, 75).

Category B: 148: Amrita Anand (75, 73); 158: Suchitra Ramesh (78, 80); 160: Gurjot Badwal (80, 80); 162: Ramya Kanadam (85, 77); Tanirika Singh (83, 79).

Category C: 159: Pranavi Urs (81, 78); 160: Ananya Barthakur (78, 82); 166: Anika Verma (79, 87).