Harpal Singh Bedi 

Hyderabad:  After sharing first round lead with two amateurs, favourite  Pranavi Urs took control of the proceedings in the second round as she carded a second straight 2-under 68 to emerge   sole leader of the 12th Leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour here on Wednesday.

Pranavi dominated the course to the extent that she could afford the luxury of four bogeys and still lead with 4-under 136 and in the familiar pole position.

She is now four strokes ahead of amateur Kriti Chowhan (70) who was a co-leader in the first round. Kriti is even par 140.The other first round co-leader, amateur Vidhatri Urs, , shot 73 and slipped to third place at 1-over 141.

Local star Sneha Singh, searching for her maiden win as a pro, shot 69, one of the only two under par scores of the day. It helped Sneha move to fourth place at 2-over 142.

Seher Atwal (73) was fifth, while another amateur Heena Kang (73) was sixth. Gauri Karhade (74) followed them in seventh place as four players, Nayanika Sanga (73), Khushi Khanijau (73), Hitaashee Bakshi (74) and amateur Keerthana R Nair (76) are tied eighth at 6-over 146.

Pranavi was off to a fast start with three birdies in the first five holes before she dropped a shot on seventh. A birdie on eighth followed by a bogey on ninth saw her turn in 2-under 34.

On the back nine she had a birdie on 10^th and then back-to-back bogeys on 13^th and 14^th before closing with a birdie on 18^th for 68.

Pranavi, who has progressed past the first stage of Qualifying School on the LPGA, has already won four times and is looking at a fifth title this season. She is also way ahead of all others on the Hero Order of Merit ranking.

Kriti had three bogeys and one birdie in her 72 and Vidhatri had a double bogey, two bogeys and one birdie in her 73.

Sneha had three birdies against two bogeys for her 69.

HSB