In-form Sifat storms into lead with 69

Sifat Sagoo kick-started her quest for a second straight title of the season as she shot into the lead in the IGU Southern India Ladies & Junior Girls Golf Championship here on Tuesday.

The Delhi teenager, who won the season-opening Rotary South Zone Ladies Championship last week, opened with a two-under 69 in Category A at the Clover Greens Golf Club at Hosur.

Rhea Purvi Saravanan, from Category B, was one shot behind while Jahanvi Bakshi (Category A) was placed third.

Sifat seemed to start from where she had left off last Friday, birdieing three holes -- 10th, 14th, 18th -- to take the turn with a flawless three-under. She picked up another shot on the second hole and just when things were looking ominous for her, she bogeyed the sixth and then double-bogeyed the seventh.

She, however, put that double disappointment behind her, ending the round on a high with a birdie on the ninth.

Rhea, who started from the first tee, opened with a birdie on the third and then picked up another shot on sixth. She then bogeyed the 10th and 15th before birdieing the 16th.

Leading scores (after 18 holes): Ladies: 74: Gurjot Badwal, Sanjana A.
Category A (15-17 years): 69: Sifat Sagoo; 72: Jahanvi Bakshi; 74: Hitaashee Bakshi.
Category B (13-14): 70: Rhea Purvi Saravanan; 73: Chitrangada Singh; 74: Pranavi S Urs.
Category C (11-12): 74: Rashmi S; 75: Agrima Manral, Kriti Chowhan.