GolfPlus - Nov 19 Digital Edition (Nov 19) | Page 48
Club News
WOLF GRABS MAIDEN LET TITLE AT HERO WOMEN’S INDIAN OPEN
Amateur Anika Varma emerges best Indian in fi fth place
HWIO 2019 Champion showered
with water after the win
ristine Wolf buried the ghosts of the
past with a bogey-free fi nal round
to clinch the Hero Women’s Indian
Open for her maiden Ladies European
Tour title. The HWIO and the DLF
Golf and Country Club is becoming a
happy hunting ground for fi rst-time winners.
Following Welsh veteran Becky Morgan’s
breakthrough win after 19 long years on
the Ladies European Tour in 2018, it was
the 30-year-old Austrian Wolf’s turn as she
grabbed her fi rst title after six years on the
Tour. Wolf, who received the trophy from Dr.
Pawan Munjal, Chairman, Hero MotoCorp,
showed no nervousness on the fi nal day as
she delivered a commanding bogey-free fi nal
round of 69 to total 11-under 277 and win
with rounds of 73, 68, 67 and 69. She fi nished
three shots ahead of Marianne Skarpnord (70
and eight-under) and four ahead of MacLaren
(72 and seven-under). Whitney Hillier, the
halfway co-leader, shot 72 and was sole fourth
at six-under.
Indians had a lot to cheer for as well, with a
strong display from top amateur Anika Varma,
who fi nished in fi fth place with a 3-under par
aggregate of 285 and a fi nal day card of two-
under 70. The 15-year-old Anika was one shot
ahead of best-placed home professional Tvesa
Malik, who was tied sixth at one-under 287. A
year ago, Tvesa had fi nished as the best- home
golfer at tied 13th alongside Gaurika Bishnoi,
so Sunday’s result was signifi cant progress for
the LET rookie as well.
52 G o l f P l u s
NOVEMBER
Gaurika Bishnoi
Anika said, “I was pretty nervous in
the beginning but as soon as I hit my fi rst
tee shot I felt fi ne. I had a good group (with
Sweden’s Emma Nilsson and Manon De Roey
of Belgium) today and I enjoyed playing with
them. That helped me play well too.”
“I was pretty consistent today, just had
one double (bogey) on the 16th. Before that,
I was doing pretty good and I didn’t miss a
single regulation before the 16th hole, I think
only that one and the 18th, which was the
highlight of my day.”
Added Tvesa, “I think it was a little bit
more of a struggle but I am happy with my
overall performance for the week. I think I am
Anika Varma
2019
Tvesa Malik presented with a Hero Pleasure
happy with my game and the way I handled
the pressure on the course, so I’m quite pleased
overall.”
“I missed a lot of putts so that wasn’t
a great part of my game. On the 18th hole, I
defi nitely wasn’t expecting that to happen at all
(chip-in from off the green) so I’m glad I could
make a birdie from there.”
A year ago in 2018, Wolf fumbled twice.
First on the third day while being well ahead
and on the fi nal day, when she was tied for the
lead. She shot a quadruple bogey on the third
day and a double bogey on the fi nal day and
fi nished Tied-second allowing Morgan to grab
the title. This time, there was to be no such
error. Forgotten were the memories of a hole
that had cost her eight shots over the week last
year. As on Saturday, Wolf sent her third shot
sailing on to the green and calmly two-putted
for the $75,000 winner’s cheque and a maiden
Tour title.
“I’m super happy obviously with this fi rst
LET win, but also that I did it here,” said a
beaming Wolf. “Everyone knew of last year’s
drama coming into the week here so to win by
three shots was very nice. But you can’t get
ahead of yourself in golf and I was obviously
a little nervous.”
In fact, from Saturday itself it was evident
that the Austrian would be the one to beat in
the closing stages and so it turned out as Wolf
picked up early momentum to gain three shots
in her front nine and never let the advantage go
with a clean back nine for a 3-under round of