Thidapa, Valentine share the limelight

New Delhi: Thai ace Pornanong Phatlum might be missing from action at the 2013 Hero Women’s Indian Open golf, which she had won thrice including the last year’s edition. But her compatriot Thidapa Suwannapura filled the void taking a share of the opening day lead at the $300,000 tri-sanctioned event here on Thursday.

Thidapa shot into the lead with a sizzling sixunder 66, and so did Valentine Derrey of France as the dust settled at the tree-lined Delhi Golf Course, the new host of the event this year.

USA’s Hannah Jun (68) also enjoyed a brief stay at the top of the leaderboard, before Valentine and Thidapa leapfrogged the former in perfect conditions.

Hannah was two strokes off the pace.

Ladies European Tour rookie Charley Hull, the youngest pro in the 107-women field at 17, dominated the morning show with a fine threeunder 69. She eventual ly finished the day fourth. er, could not capitalise on the home advantage with Vani Kapoor and Gauri Monga carding identical one-over 73s to be tied 13th.

Vani, who carded a birdie on the very first hole, could have had a better finish but two bogeys on her back nine spoilt her run.

Top pro Sharmila Nicollet, still recovering from a toe injury, was far behind at 47th position with a threeover on the day while Neha Tripathi carded two-over to be at tied 36th position.

“I will be aiming for more accuracy in my shots. Hopefully, I will come up with more consistent rounds in the next two days,” said the lanky golfer from Bengaluru, who is eyeing a top-10 finish here to secure her LET card.

Veteran golfer Smriti Mehra managed a fiveover 77 after a topsy-turvy round and is likely to miss the cut.